ZenVideo On Demand seller requirements: Verifying and displaying contact information

To comply with the Digital Services Act, all ZenVideo On Demand Sellers must display their address, phone number, and email address to buyers. Sellers must verify by February 13, 2025, or their ZenVideo On Demand titles will be unpublished and removed from sale globally.

In this article

• Why is this necessary?
• What happens if I don’t do this?
• Can I avoid doing this if I’m not in the EU or do not wish to sell my content in that region?
• What is Persona? Are they trustworthy?
• What happens if my verification fails?
• How can I troubleshoot verification issues?
• What information do I need to complete the verification?
• How can I update my contact information?
• Do I have to use my personal contact information? Can I use a virtual office?
• What contact information will be made visible on my VOD listings?
• Why do I also need to log in with PayPal?
• What documents are required for proof of business registration?
• For how long is my identity verification data stored?
• Can I switch my account from an individual to a business without disrupting my existing listings?

Why is this necessary?

Articles 30 and 31 of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) require ZenVideo to verify and display the contact information of all ZenVideo On Demand sellers. This includes your address, phone number, and email address, which will be shown to buyers on your ZenVideo On Demand listing pages in the EU. This is part of an ongoing effort to ensure transparency and keep ZenVideo users safe.

💡Tip: You can read more about the Digital Service Act here.

What happens if I don’t do this?

If you don't complete the verification process by February 13, 2025:

• Your ZenVideo On Demand titles will be unpublished and removed from sale globally.
• If you have paid subscribers to your ZenVideo On Demand content, their subscriptions will be irreversibly canceled.
• Unverified new sellers will not be able to publish ZenVideo On Demand titles.

Can I avoid doing this if I’m not in the EU or do not wish to sell my content in that region?

ZenVideo requires all sellers to verify regardless of their location or which regions they are selling in.

As of February 7, 2025, sellers can choose to not display their contact information and remove their listings from sale in the European Union.

This setting is available in two places.

The “verify to get paid” flow:

Under Settings > On Demand > Payments:

What is Persona? Are they trustworthy?

Persona is our trusted partner for handling identity verification. They are an identity verification platform that helps businesses confirm the identities of their users (individuals and businesses).  Learn how Persona secures and protects your information and review Persona’s Privacy Policy.

What happens if my verification fails?

You can retry the verification process by clicking Verify now from the ZenVideo On Demand Create new or ZenVideo On Demand Payment Settings pages or contact our support team for assistance.

What information do I need to complete the verification process?

The below image represents how the verification process will look for an individual:

You'll be guided through a simple verification process with Persona. Here's what you can expect:

• Authentication: You’ll first need to log in with PayPal.
• Redirection: You'll be redirected to Persona's secure website.
• Information: You'll be asked to provide basic information to confirm your identity, such as your name, address, and a government-issued ID.
• Confirmation: Confirm your email address and telephone number with a one-time code.
• Verification: Persona will verify your information quickly and securely.
• Completion: Once verified, you'll be returned to ZenVideo. You don't need to create a separate Persona account.

How can I troubleshoot verification issues?

If you run into issues with the Persona module's verification flow, you can check for a mismatch in information provided or click here to retry verifying. You can also refer to the Persona Help Center. Listed below are the articles most relevant to our integration with Persona:

• Device handoff: continue verification on another device
• I see a "Can't access your camera" error.
• Why isn't the barcode being captured clearly?
• I see a "Failed to capture screenshot and/or the Play icon" error when I take a photo.
• How to scan your passport with NFC
• Troubleshoot: Receiving SMS (text message)
• Troubleshoot: Receiving email

How can I update my contact information?

If you need to update your contact information, here’s what to do:

To update your name, first update it on your PayPal account. Once complete, return to the Persona verification flow to re-verify the updated name.

If you need to change other details, you must go through the Persona verification process again. This typically requires providing supporting documentation to verify your updated information. 

The verification process ensures your account remains secure and compliant. Be prepared to provide accurate and up-to-date documents during the process. 

Do I have to use my personal contact information? Can I use a virtual office?

You don't have to use your personal contact information, and you can generally use a virtual office. The most important thing is that the contact information you provide is accurate, and verifiable, and allows you to reliably receive correspondence from buyers. This means providing:

• A valid email address: Make sure you have access to this email account.
• A working phone number: This must be a phone number that can receive texts for phone number verification.
• A reliable mailing address: This can be:
  • Your business address (if you have one)
  • A virtual office address that offers mail-receiving services
  • A P.O. Box

Please Note: While virtual offices and P.O. Boxes are generally acceptable, they must be locations where you can reliably receive mail and official correspondence. Simply providing a virtual office address or P.O. Box without a way to receive mail may not be sufficient for verification.

What contact information will be made visible on my VOD listings?

If you are verifying as an individual, the following information will be visible:

• Individual name
• Email
• Phone Number
• Address

If you are verifying as a business, the following information will be visible:

• Business name
• Business ID number
• Email
• Phone Number
• Address
  

Your contact information is displayed to buyers in the EU in two places:

• Listing Page: Select from the bottom-right corner, in the seller's name box by clicking on Contact info.
• Checkout: Select from the left side of the checkout window by clicking on Contact info.

Why do I also need to log in with PayPal?

Your PayPal payment information must match the identity information you verify in Persona. Logging in with PayPal is fast and secure.

What documents are required for proof of business registration?

We accept documents that meet the following criteria, regardless of their name or format, as these can vary by country or jurisdiction:  

1. Business Name: The document must display the business's registered name.  

2. Business Registration Number: The document must include the official registration or identification number assigned to the business by the relevant authority.  

Examples of such documents might include:  

• Business registration certificates  
• Tax registration documents  
• Articles of incorporation  
• Trade licenses  

Please note that documents may be issued in various languages and formats depending on the country or jurisdiction. Ensure that the provided documents are originals and clearly show the required information.

All business documents must be issued by an official authority such as a federal/state/municipal government, public institution (tax authority, securities and exchange commission), chamber of commerce, business registry, etc.

For how long is my identity verification data stored?

Persona will store your verification data for as long as you remain a seller on ZenVideo On Demand, and six months thereafter.

ZenVideo uses Persona, a third-party identity verification service, to verify seller identities. The information you provide during this process, such as your ID document, proof of address documents, phone, and email address, is stored when you maintain an active seller account on ZenVideo On Demand. After you stop selling on ZenVideo On Demand, this verification data is retained for another six months. For details on how your data is secured, please refer to our full privacy policy.

Can I switch my account from an individual to a business without disrupting my existing listings?

Yes, you can change your account from an individual to a business account without affecting your current ZenVideo On Demand listings. Here's how:

1. Navigate to settings: Go to the On Demand / Payments page within your ZenVideo Settings.
2. Start the verification process: You can begin the verification process again from this page.
3. PayPal business name: To verify as a business, Persona, our verification provider, requires a business name. This name is obtained from your linked PayPal account. Therefore, confirm your business name is correctly listed within your PayPal account.
4. Business verification: If your PayPal account provides a business name, you'll be given the option to verify as a business in Persona.
5. Safe transition: Your current individual verification remains active, and your listings will remain unaffected until you complete the business verification process.
6. Confirmation: Once your business verification is successful, your account will reflect the change.

Your existing listings will continue to be available to your viewers throughout this process. If you encounter any difficulties, contact our support team for assistance.