Discord is implementing new age verification measures, requiring facial scans and ID checks from users who wish to access content beyond a 'teen-appropriate experience'. This initiative, slated for March, aims to restrict certain features and servers to verified adults. The social platform has confirmed that the age-gating of servers will not be based solely on game ratings but will instead rely on a hybrid system of automated detection with AI validation and human review.
Details of Discord's New Age Verification Policy
In a significant shift, Discord plans to roll out a global age verification system in March. This system will necessitate users to undergo facial scanning and provide ID to prove their age, particularly for those who desire access to content not deemed suitable for teenagers. While some restrictions, like those on 'stage channels', might not affect the majority of users, other limitations will be more pervasive. Users who opt out of providing their personal data will find themselves in a 'Teenage Discord Purgatory,' facing additional curbs on direct messages and friend requests, and outright exclusion from certain servers. A Discord representative informed GamesMarket that the age-gating process will not be solely dependent on a game's rating. Instead, it will be a sophisticated combination of automated detection, validated by artificial intelligence, and subsequent human review to proactively identify and restrict access to specific servers. This blended approach underscores a detailed strategy to manage content accessibility across the platform. This development has raised eyebrows among many, especially considering the involvement of an age-verification vendor whose investors include Peter Thiel, known for his association with Palantir, a company linked to surveillance technologies.
This move by Discord highlights the ongoing tension between platform safety and user privacy. While age verification is a necessary step to protect younger users from inappropriate content, the methods employed raise critical questions about data security and surveillance. Users are increasingly weighing the convenience of a platform against the privacy implications of sharing sensitive personal information. This situation may well accelerate the migration of users towards more privacy-centric alternatives or even a resurgence of older, less data-intensive communication methods.