Beginning Wednesday, Discord will introduce age-verification measures across its platform to enhance user safety.
This initiative follows a previous delay in February, prompted by backlash from users worried about privacy risks associated with biometric scans and ID checks. These concerns were validated when a data breach last year involving a third-party vendor exposed sensitive information, including government ID photos and selfies, for approximately 70,000 users.
In a blog post made public on Tuesday, Discord’s Chief Technology Officer Stanislav Vishnevskiy addressed the mixed reactions regarding age assurance. “Age assurance draws strong opinions and skepticism, especially when it involves sharing biometric information or a form of ID,” he noted. He also highlighted the necessity of these measures, particularly as age assurance regulations expand in various regions, including Brazil and Texas.
Vishnevskiy assured that over 90% of Discord users will not need to undergo age verification. Instead, the platform will utilize existing account information to identify “signals” such as account age, device usage, and activity patterns to categorize users into adult, teen, or unverified groups.
The company clarified that it does not estimate users’ ages based on message content or profile demographics. Rather, it has developed a machine learning model that distinguishes typical usage patterns between different age groups. “The way a typical 15-year-old uses Discord looks different in aggregate from how a typical 30-year-old uses Discord,” the company explained in a related technical blog post.
Importantly, Discord is not collecting any new user data; it is standard practice for social media platforms to retain such information, although it may seem unsettling to users.
Due to local laws mandating age-assurance technology in certain areas, Discord has trained its model on verified data that connects user behavior to age demographics.
For users whom Discord cannot confidently classify as adults, alternative methods for age verification are available. These users may share credit card information or age group data from their Apple App Store or Google Play Store accounts to prove their age without needing biometric scans.
For confirmed adults, the platform will remain unchanged. However, teen accounts will face restrictions, including being blocked from accessing age-restricted servers or channels. Additionally, message requests from non-friends will be directed to a separate inbox, and teens will receive notifications when accepting friend requests from users without mutual connections.
As global governments continue to enforce age-verification requirements to safeguard children online, experts caution that these measures may introduce new privacy and security challenges. This places platforms like Discord in a challenging position: comply with regulations or face potential sanctions.
