Discord Shakes Things Up With New Age Verification For Adult Content

Discord's New Safety Frontier

Discord, the chat platform beloved by gamers and creators alike, is gearing up to introduce a major change aimed at enhancing safety for its younger users. Starting in March, Discord will require users to verify their age to access adult content and features on the platform. This move is a part of a broader effort to set all accounts to default teen safety settings, a significant shift for its 200 million monthly active users worldwide.

The platform will rely on the verification service k-ID for age checks, using an inference model that evaluates various signals like account activity and tenure to assess the accurate age of users. Users flagged as likely adults will be able to bypass this verification, maintaining access to more mature spaces. Meanwhile, the initiative represents a foundational shift in how Discord thinks about its community and safety protocols.

“It's about making Discord feel more like Main Street,” explained Savannah Badalich, Discord's head of product policy, who emphasized that these measures aim to preserve a safe environment for all users.

Pressures and Challenges in Ensuring Teen Safety

This policy update is not without precedent – it follows ongoing scrutiny over social media platforms' responsibility to protect minors. A notable lawsuit from 2025 accused Discord and Roblox of failing to prevent predatory behavior, highlighting severe incidents involving young users. As platforms face mounting pressure to prioritize teen safety, Discord's new policies represent a proactive step in addressing these challenges.

Discord's previous measures, like allowing parents to monitor their teens' activity, have been criticized for not going far enough. The new age checks are intended to tighten the safety net, though challenges remain. "Teens are creative," noted Badalich, acknowledging that young users often find ways to circumvent restrictions.

Looking Ahead with Age Assurance

While Discord is optimistic about minimizing false positives with its age detection system, the platform admits there is still work to be done. Each unverified user will need to submit identification or undergo facial estimation to unlock full platform access. This includes privileges like unblurring sensitive content and accessing age-gated servers.

The rollout of age verification in other regions, like the UK and Australia, has also offered valuable lessons. Initial attempts to bypass the system with video game character selfies revealed vulnerabilities that have since been patched. Privacy concerns linger, particularly after a significant data breach involving user IDs handled by a third-party vendor.

Discord is forging ahead with plans to restrict adult content more effectively, pledging to delete identity documents swiftly to alleviate privacy worries. As these efforts unfold, the platform is committed to refining its age assurance processes to better serve and protect its diverse user base.