Discord has clarified details of its upcoming age verification system following user backlash over concerns about mandatory face scans and government ID checks.
The company said the “vast majority” of users will not be required to confirm their age through facial scans or ID submissions.
Discord explained that it will primarily rely on an internal age prediction model to determine whether a user is an adult.
The system uses account information, device and activity data, and behavioral patterns across communities to estimate age. Users whose age cannot be determined with sufficient confidence will still be required to submit a video selfie or government identification for verification.
Users who are not verified as adults, or who are identified as under 18, will be placed in what Discord describes as a “teen-appropriate” experience.
This version of the platform blocks access to age-restricted servers and channels.
The clarification follows user criticism and threats to leave the platform or cancel Discord Nitro memberships.
Concerns were also heightened by a data breach last year involving a third-party vendor used by Discord for age verification. The breach exposed user information and a small number of uploaded ID cards.