Discord Introduces Mandatory Global Age Verification to Bolster Teen Safety

San Francisco, February 9:Discord has announced a significant shift in its operational framework by introducing mandatory global age verification starting in March. The platform aims to bolster teen safety by automatically transitioning all accounts to a "teen-appropriate" experience unless users successfully verify their adult status. The initiative follows increasing pressure from international legislative bodies to strengthen child safety measures on social media. Under the new system, unverified accounts will face restricted communication settings, content filtering for sensitive material, and a total block on entering age-restricted servers and channels.Spotify New Feature Update: Offline Lyrics and Universal Translations Rolled Out for Free and Premium Users Worldwide. To maintain access to adult-oriented spaces, users must prove their age through facial age estimation technology or by submitting a government-issued identity document. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s global head of product policy, confirmed that age-restricted servers will be "obfuscated" with a black screen for any user who has not completed the check, even if they were previously members of those communities. In addition to server blocks, unverified users will be unable to participate in "Stage" channels or view graphic content. To further protect younger audiences, the platform will automatically filter direct messages from unfamiliar users into a separate inbox and provide warning prompts for suspicious friend requests. Addressing privacy concerns, Discord clarified that facial age estimation uses on-device processing, meaning video selfies do not leave the user’s hardware. For those opting to submit identification, the company stated that documents are deleted by third-party vendors almost immediately after confirmation. The move comes after a data breach involving a former vendor in October last year. Badalich emphasised that Discord has since switched providers and does not perform biometric facial recognition or store personal details such as names or addresses from the documents provided. Discord is also deploying an "age inference model" to minimise friction for long-term users. This background system analyses metadata, including gaming habits, activity patterns, and time spent on the app, to determine if an account likely belongs to an adult without requiring a formal ID check.Arattai New Feature Update: Sridhar Vembu Announces ‘Polls’ Feature in India-Made E2EE Chat App, Hints Big Updates in January 2026. While the company acknowledges that the rollout may lead to a temporary decline in user numbers, it remains committed to the safety overhaul. The platform expects that a majority of users will not experience significant changes unless they frequently access explicit or age-gated content. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 09, 2026 09:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our websitelatestly.com).