Discord has detailed its upcoming age-verification system, assuring users that the “vast majority” will not need to scan faces or upload government IDs. Checks are limited to accessing 18+ servers or modifying safety settings. The company says the “teen-by-default” rollout is a proactive safety measure, not due to specific laws. However, privacy advocates warn this requires trusting Discord’s data handling claims. The announcement followed significant user backlash, with searches for alternatives spiking over 10,000% in February.
Discord has clarified its age-verification plans, assuring users that most will not need face scans or ID uploads. Age checks will only apply to accessing 18+ servers and modifying certain safety settings.
The company uses internal age-prediction models to determine adulthood with high confidence. When verification is required, facial estimation runs on-device and government IDs are deleted after age confirmation.
In a Tuesday post on X, Discord said the “vast majority” of users can continue without verification. Online backlash led to a surge of over 10,000% in searches for alternatives in February.
Age verification is gaining global momentum, with Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticizing Spanish regulators. The Electronic Frontier Foundation noted 2025 as the year age verification became widespread in the U.S.
Savannah Badalich, Global Head of Product Policy at Discord, said the “teen-by-default” rollout is a proactive safety measure. She emphasized it is not driven by any single regulation.
Privacy advocates say users must trust Discord‘s data handling claims without independent verification. Suzanne Bernstein, counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, stated, “They’re asking folks to trust,” highlighting limited consumer agency online.
In December, Australia banned social media for under-16s, but the initiative has largely failed as teens circumvent controls. This reflects broader challenges in enforcing age restrictions.
