Discord to require age verification for all users starting March

Discord has announced a big new safety update focused on protecting teens on its platform. Starting in early March, all Discord users around the world will need to verify their age to get full access, Discord said. Until age verification is completed, every user will be treated as a teen by default, even adults. Teen-level access means stricter communication settings, blocked adult content, and limited access to age-gated spaces.

Discord said this change is meant to make sure only adults can see adult content, while teens see only age-appropriate material. To verify age, adult users must complete a face scan, submit a government ID, or in some cases both, as cited by 9to5Mac. Discord said users can choose facial age estimation or ID submission, and more verification options will be added later.

Discord age verification system

The company also introduced a new age inference system that runs in the background to help decide if an account belongs to an adult, Discord said. Discord added that some users may need to use multiple verification methods if the system needs more information to confirm their age.

Discord privacy and data safety

The push for age checks comes as governments worldwide are pressuring apps and social platforms to improve age safety, according to 9to5Mac. Discord addressed privacy concerns after a previous data breach last year involving a third-party ID vendor, the report noted. Discord promised that face scan videos stay on the user’s device and are never uploaded, the company said.

The company also said submitted ID documents are deleted quickly, usually right after age confirmation. Discord explained that most users will only need to verify their age once, and their account will automatically adjust to the correct age group. Finally, Discord confirmed that a user’s age verification status will remain private and cannot be seen by others.

FAQs

Q1. Why is Discord asking users to verify their age?

Discord wants to keep teens safe and make sure only adults can see adult content.

Q2. How can users verify their age on Discord?

Users can verify their age using a face scan, an ID, or both if needed.