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Age verification will become mandatory for many Discord users who want to keep full access to the gaming-focused messaging platform.
Discord announced on Monday that it will move accounts to “teen-by-default” settings to create “a safer and more inclusive experience" for those ages 13 to 18. It’ll apply to new and existing users from early March; Discord hasn't confirmed an exact launch date yet.
Some users won't need to follow age verification if Discord's "age inference model" tech automatically confirms they're an adult. A Discord spokesperson tells PCMag the feature uses "information such as account tenure, device and activity data, and aggregated, high-level patterns across Discord communities."
The brand says it won't use private messages as part of this process. If the age inference model doesn't confirm they're an adult, they'll be asked to prove their age through other methods: Use Discord's built-in facial age estimation features by recording a video selfie; or submit a form of government identification to one of Discord's partners. Discord also says it's working on further methods it may introduce later.
Select Discord communities are age-gated by default on teen accounts, and some content won’t be available until you prove you’re an adult. It will also enforce content filters for select multimedia thought to be sensitive, and you won’t be able to unblur images until you confirm your identity.
Other restrictions include a warning when a friend request arrives from someone Discord believes you may not know. It will also reroute messages from users you haven't previously connected with to a separate inbox.
Similar rules designed to protect younger users have been in place in other markets, such as Australia and the UK, but Discord is now bringing these restrictions to its global userbase of over 200 million people.
Discord says it is safe to share your information, but this comes after 70,000 government IDs were exposed in a Discord breach last fall. The brand said it used that breach to review its security controls in an effort to stop it from happening again, but you might want to do the video selfie option, which are processed on-device, Discord says.
If you opt for the government ID method, Discord says it's making sure partners delete documentation "quickly," with many removing them immediately after confirming your age.
Editors' Note: This story was updated with more information from Discord.