Age verification is coming to Discord this week
, by Thibaut
Last February, Discord decided to postpone the rollout of its age verification system until the second half of 2026. We are now well into that period of the year, and the U.S.-based company has officially announced the phased rollout of this security feature.
Currently, users under the age of 18 can no longer access sensitive content, which will appear blurred. Access to adult-only channels is also restricted. Users who meet the age requirement must submit a video recording of their face or a photo of their ID to lift this restriction. Many people consider these measures to be intrusive.
In a blog post, Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord’s co-founder and CTO, sought to reassure skeptical users by announcing the implementation of an automated system. This system will directly estimate a user’s age by analyzing the account’s age and the types of servers the user is connected to. Messages, calls, and other content will not be reviewed as part of this process.
When Discord automatically classifies an account as belonging to someone 18 or older, nothing will change. Those who end up classified in the 13–17 age group will have content censored. If the system makes a mistake, you’ll need to use one of the methods mentioned earlier to correct the error.
"We’ve reviewed each method in detail, and the data you provide to us and to our vendors is used solely to determine your age group. So you can choose the option that works best for you. You can now enter your credit card information or authorize the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to share your age rating with Discord, for example.
Any form of age verification and the option to share biometric data or identification is a controversial topic. And rightly so, given what it represents and the evolving nature of internet legislation worldwide: a move toward a more controlled internet. The stakes are beyond our control.
We have chosen to roll out enhanced protections for teens worldwide using the most privacy-respecting approach possible, even in places where the law does not yet require it, because we believe it is the right thing to do. By launching a global approach with non-biometric options, we are anticipating laws that might force us to implement solutions that are less privacy-focused. The decisions policymakers make today will shape how platforms ensure the safety and privacy of teens for years to come, and I encourage everyone to make their voices heard where they live."
Source: discord.com