Starting in March, Discord will implement age verification as a mandatory requirement for every user

Discord, a popular tool for chat and community engagement, revealed plans to implement age verification for all users, starting in March. Accounts not able to verify age will be restricted to a "teen-appropriate" setting. This development aligns with Roblox's recent global age verification requirement for access to its chat functions.

The verification process on Discord will involve facial age estimation technology or providing identification documents to partnered vendors. This initiative comes after similar measures were introduced in nations like the UK and Australia, driven by new legislative requirements. Previously, some users found ways to bypass the system by utilizing Death Stranding's photo mode, which resulted in a hacking incident where 70,000 users' IDs and personal details were exposed by a partner company.

Discord assured users that any video selfies used for age verification would remain on the user's device, and any documents shared with partners would be promptly deleted post-verification. Savannah Badalich, Discord's global head of product policy, informed The Verge that while users might attempt to circumvent the age checks, efforts will be made to counteract these attempts.

The following constraints will apply to accounts without successful age verification:

Content Filters: Only adults verified through age checks can view unblurred sensitive material or adjust filter settings.
Age-gated Spaces: Channels, servers, and commands with age restrictions will be accessible solely to adult-verified users.
Message Request Inbox: Direct messages from unfamiliar users will be directed to a dedicated inbox, with setting adjustments restricted to adult-verified users.
Friend Request Alerts: Alerts will be triggered for friend requests from unfamiliar users.
Stage Restrictions: Speaking on stage in servers will be limited to verified adults.

Discord has become crucial for the gaming industry's marketing and communication strategies, with many independent developers and publishers endorsing it as an effective method for generating pre-release excitement. Boasting over 200 million registered users, the platform is also preparing for an initial public offering.