Discord has provided further clarification on its upcoming age verification system after facing criticism from users worried about mandatory facial scans and government ID requirements.
The company said that the “vast majority” of users will not need to verify their age through a face scan or by submitting official identification documents.
Instead, Discord plans to rely primarily on an internal age prediction model to determine whether a user is an adult. The system analyzes account details, device and usage data, and behavioral patterns across servers and communities to estimate a user’s age.
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Only users whose age cannot be determined with sufficient confidence through this automated system will be asked to complete additional verification. In those cases, they may be required to submit a short video selfie or upload a government-issued ID.
Users who are not verified as adults, or who are identified as being under 18, will automatically be placed in what Discord describes as a “teen-appropriate” experience. This restricted mode blocks access to age-gated servers and channels.
The clarification comes after a wave of backlash, with some users threatening to leave the platform or cancel their Discord Nitro subscriptions over privacy concerns.
An earlier data breach involving a third-party vendor used for age verification also fueled anxiety. That incident exposed certain user information, including a limited number of uploaded ID documents, raising questions about how sensitive data would be handled under the new system.
