Hold onto your hats, because Discord is about to make a big change to how you access adult content! Imagine logging in and suddenly finding yourself in a world of content designed specifically for teens, with no way to see anything more mature unless you prove you're an adult. That's precisely what Discord is rolling out globally, and it's sparking quite a conversation.
Discord, a massive platform with over 200 million monthly users who connect over shared interests, is implementing new safety measures that will, by default, place everyone into a teen-appropriate experience. This means if you want to dive into communities or view content marked as sensitive, you'll need to verify your age. This isn't entirely new for some users, as Discord already requires age verification in places like the UK and Australia to meet online safety laws. However, this is set to become a worldwide standard starting in early March.
Savannah Badalich, Discord's head of policy, emphasized the critical importance of safety, especially for their younger users. She stated, "Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord's existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility." This means that by default, what you can see and how you can communicate will be restricted. Only those who successfully prove they are adults will gain access to age-restricted communities and be able to view content that has been blurred or marked as sensitive. Furthermore, you won't be able to see direct messages from unknown users unless you've completed Discord's age verification process.
Drew Benvie, head of social media consultancy Battenhall, offered his perspective, noting, "The sentiment behind creating a safer community for all social media users is a positive move." But here's where it gets controversial... Benvie also cautioned that implementing such a system across millions of communities could be "fraught with issues." He raised an interesting point: while Discord might alienate some users if the age verification process is problematic, it could also attract new users who are actively seeking platforms with robust, built-in safety features. It's a bit of a gamble, isn't it?
How will you prove you're an adult? Discord is offering two main methods: you can either upload a photo of your ID or take a video selfie. The platform states that AI will be used to estimate your facial age from the selfie. Importantly, Discord assures users that the information submitted for age checks will not be stored by them or the third-party verification company. They also claim that face scans won't be collected, and ID uploads will be deleted once verification is complete. However, privacy advocates have previously sounded the alarm about such methods, citing potential risks to personal privacy. This concern is amplified by a past incident in October where official ID photos of approximately 70,000 users were potentially exposed after a firm assisting with age verification was hacked.
In its pursuit of enhanced safety, Discord is also introducing a teen advisory council and, in doing so, is aligning with practices seen on platforms like Meta's Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, and Roblox. Benvie observes, "While forced age verification and safe content by default could be a combination of changes that we see other social networks adopt, I expect they will all be watching how Discord's implementation lands with its users." It seems like a trend is emerging across the social media landscape, driven by increasing pressure from lawmakers to protect younger users.
And this is the part most people miss... Discord's CEO, Jason Citron, faced tough questions about the company's child safety measures during a significant US Senate hearing in 2024. He was alongside other tech leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Evan Spiegler of Snap, and Shou Chew of TikTok, all being scrutinized for their platforms' safety protocols.
So, what do you think? Is this a necessary step for online safety, or is it an overreach that infringes on user privacy? Will this change how you use Discord? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below – we'd love to hear your take!
