Discord just announced a major shift in how it handles user safety. The platform will launch mandatory age verification globally next month. Every user will need to prove they’re an adult or accept teenage-level restrictions.
The company announced on Monday that, starting in March this year, Discord will handle every profile as “teen accounts” by default, and users must verify their age for full access on the platform.
New restrictions hit unverified accounts
Discord will block unverified users from several key features. They won’t join or view age-restricted servers and channels. The platform will prevent them from speaking in “stage” channels, Discord’s livestream-style feature.
The desire to avoid these limitations is likely to drive a subset of users to seek methods for bypassing the verification process, exploring technical workarounds to regain full platform access.
The system will also filter graphic or sensitive content automatically. Users will see warning prompts for friend requests from people they might not know. Discord will route direct messages from unfamiliar accounts into a separate inbox automatically.
Regular DMs and non-restricted servers will work normally. However, age-restricted servers will become completely inaccessible. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s global head of product policy, explained the change to The Verge. She said the platform will “obfuscate” restricted servers with a black screen until users verify their age.
This applies even to server users who joined before the rollout. They won’t send messages or view content in these communities without completing age verification. Discord will also block them from joining any new age-restricted servers.
How the verification system works
Discord offers users multiple verification options. The platform will use facial age estimation or require government ID submission through vendor partners. More options will arrive in the future.
The facial estimation option analyzes a video selfie using AI. Discord promises the selfie never leaves the user’s device. Users can appeal incorrect age estimates or switch to ID verification instead.
Third-party vendors will verify identity documents, but Discord says it deletes these images quickly. Badalich stated, “In most cases, [we delete them] immediately after age confirmation.”
The company learned from past mistakes. One of the ex third-part vendors of Discord faced a breach in October. The incident compromised the age verification information of users, including government ID images. Badalich confirmed Discord “immediately stopped doing any sort of age verification flows with that vendor” and switched to a different third-party partner.
She emphasized the privacy protections: “We’re performing facial estimation, not facial or biometric scanning. The ID gets instantly deleted. We do not keep any information around like your name, the city that you live in, if you used a birth certificate or something else, any of that information.”
Despite these stated safeguards, inherent distrust of sharing such sensitive data is likely to drive a portion of the user base to explore technical methods for preserving their anonymity, a trend reflected in the growing market for privacy tools marketed around age verification scenarios.
Some users might skip both verification methods entirely. Discord built a model for age inference that assesses metadata. The system examines the games users play, their Discord activity, and behavioral patterns like working hours or time spent on the platform.
Badalich explained, “If we have a high confidence that they are an adult, they will not have to go through the other age verification flows.”
Platform braces for user pushback
Discord expects the changes will mainly affect adult content access. Badalich noted that most users don’t seek explicit or graphic material on the platform. She said, “Many people won’t notice any changes in their experience.”
However, the company anticipates some users will leave over privacy concerns. Badalich acknowledged the risk: “We do expect that there will be some sort of hit there, and we are incorporating that into what our planning looks like. We’ll find other ways to bring users back.”
This global rollout comes after Discord’s age verification evaluation in Australia and the UK last year. Some users devised creative ways to dodge the age check, including Death Stranding’s photo mode. Discord fixed that loophole within a week, but Badalich expects users will keep trying to beat the system.
Discord users revolt
Discord users are in open revolt. The reason? The company’s plan for a highly intrusive age verification system. In less than 24 hours, the backlash has been intense. If this uproar continues, Discord may be forced to abandon this ground long before its March deadline.
