Discord has announced a new “teen-by-default” approach to its platform, meaning age-verification will be a mandatory requirement for all users around the globe in order to access certain settings, channels, and “sensitive content.”
Beginning in early March, Discord will implement a “phased global rollout” of a new update designed to give all new and existing users worldwide a “teen-appropriate experience” by default. Once live, users will be required to undergo age verification – either via facial age estimation or by submitting a form of identification – in order to access certain features. This builds on changes previously rolled out to users in Australia and the UK.
Without age verification, users will be unable to bypass sensitive content filters, and will not be able to access age-gated channels, servers, or app commands. Nor can they speak on Discord server stages or access messages sent to their inbox from people they do not know. Additionally, all users will see warning prompts when receiving friend requests from users they may not know.
As for the age verification process, Discord is adopting what it calls “privacy-forward age assurance”. It says video selfies submitted for facial age estimation will never leave a user’s device, and insists all identification documents submitted to its vendor partners for processing will be “deleted quickly” — “in most cases, immediately after age confirmation.” It does note, however, that while only one verification method will be required for most users, it may sometimes request multiple methods when “more information is needed to assign an age group.” Once age verification is complete, user will be alerted via a direct message from Discord’s official account.
“Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility,” the company wrote in a statement accompanying the news. “We design our products with teen safety principles at the core and will continue working with safety experts, policymakers, and Discord users to support meaningful, long term wellbeing for teens on the platform.”
