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Discord is introducing mandatory age verification globally for access to adult content, using either biometric face scans or ID uploads. The service, used by 200+ million people each month, says the step will protect users by keeping accounts in a teen-appropriate mode by default, though it raises questions about handling of sensitive verification data.
Discord already makes some users in the UK and Australia verify their age to comply with online safety laws - but it will roll out the age checks to all users worldwide from early March.
"Nowhere is our safety work more important than when it comes to teen users," said Discord policy head Savannah Badalich.
"Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord's existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility."
The platform says the new default settings will restrict what people can see and how they can communicate, with only those who prove they are an adult able to access age-restricted communities and unblur material marked as sensitive.
Users will also not be able to see direct messages sent to them from someone they do not know unless they complete Discord's age checks. Users can either upload a photo of their ID to confirm their age or take a video selfie, where AI will be used to estimate their facial age.
Discord said information used for age checks will not be stored by the platform or the verification company. It said face scans would not be collected, and ID uploads would be deleted after the verification is complete.
Privacy campaigners have previously warned such methods could pose a risk to people's privacy.
Discord faced criticism in October after official ID photos of around 70,000 users were potentially leaked after a firm which helped it verify ages was hacked.
Its announcement comes after reports in early January said the company was looking to start selling its shares publicly.
