Discord Will Require ID Verification in March

[Dead2009]

Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

Age verification for all.

www.theverge.com

Discord announced on Monday that it’s rolling out age verification on its platform globally starting next month, when it will automatically set all users’ accounts to a “teen-appropriate” experience unless they demonstrate that they’re adults.

Users who aren’t verified as adults will not be able to access age-restricted servers and channels, won’t be able to speak in Discord’s livestream-like “stage” channels, and will see content filters for any content Discord detects as graphic or sensitive. They will also get warning prompts for friend requests from potentially unfamiliar users, and DMs from unfamiliar users will be automatically filtered into a separate inbox.

 

[Webster]

According to the Verge article, they're going to use either facial estimation (a/k/a estimating age via AI inference) OR via ID.

However, Discord will, during the verification, also take a moment to look at your posting/server history and if they confirm that you're on age-appropriate servers (i.e. if your on an 18+ server), Discord has the option to let you skip the age-gating part.

FWIW, they're not the first; over on SpicyChat (an-NSFW AI chat site) one manner of age verification was through facial estimation/inference and at a certain age, even the dumbest of AI estimators isn't going to screw up age estimates.

 

[Cam's iconCam]

I don't love seeing features like this on more and more sites.

 

[Kyng]

Doesn't affect me at all, since I'm not in any 18+ channels or servers, but I'm really not a fan of this method of age verification.

Don't get me wrong: I'm all for the idea of age-gating adult content to stop children from viewing it, but far too many sites and apps use verification methods that are either useless or invasive of privacy. Especially considering Discord recently had a breach of age verification data >_< .

 

[Webster]

I don't love seeing features like this on more and more sites.

Doesn't affect me at all, since I'm not in any 18+ channels or servers, but I'm really not a fan of this method of age verification.

Don't get me wrong: I'm all for the idea of age-gating adult content to stop children from viewing it, but far too many sites and apps use verification methods that are either useless or invasive of privacy. Especially considering Discord recently had a breach of age verification data >_< .

I'm not fond of age-gating either but at some point, either this happens or we see more countries like Australia outright block access to social media.