Discord to launch global age verification in March

Discord announced on Monday that it is rolling out age verification globally starting next month. Under the new system, which begins in early March, all users will be put into a “teen-appropriate experience” by default. Only users verified as adults will be able to change certain settings and access age-restricted content. This global launch follows the company’s decision to establish age checks for users in the U.K. and Australia last year.

To minimize manual checks, the platform will utilize an age inference model. According to Discord, “For most adults, age verification won’t be required, as Discord’s age inference model uses account information such as account tenure, device and activity data, and aggregated, high-level patterns across Discord communities”. The company stated that it does not use private messages or any message content in this process. For cases where this passive inference is insufficient, users must complete active verification. This requires either completing a facial age estimation or submitting an ID to Discord’s vendor partners. The facial age estimation requires video selfies, which Discord says never leave the user’s device. Additionally, the company says IDs submitted to its vendor partners are deleted quickly and, in most cases, immediately after age confirmation.

The rollout comes amid ongoing concerns over data security. Discord disclosed last October that around 70,000 users may have had sensitive data, such as their government ID photos, exposed after hackers breached a third-party vendor. This vendor was used by the platform for age-related appeals, highlighting the potential risks associated with digital age-verification systems.

The announcement mirrors similar moves made by other online platforms, reflecting growing international efforts to strengthen child safety. Roblox recently introduced mandatory facial verification for access to chats on its platform. Additionally, last July, YouTube launched its age-estimation technology in the U.S. to identify teen users. Savannah Badalich, head of product policy at Discord, stated that rolling out these teen-by-default settings globally builds on the platform’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility.

Why it matters

This move aligns Discord with broader industry trends toward stricter child safety protocols, following similar implementations by platforms like Roblox and YouTube.