Discord will begin rolling out new teen safety features globally in early March, placing all new and existing users into a teen-appropriate experience by default unless they verify they are adults. The update introduces stricter content controls, limited access to age-gated spaces, and new communication rules designed to reduce unwanted contact while keeping user privacy intact.

Under the new system, sensitive images and videos will remain blurred unless a user is age-assured as an adult. Only verified adults can access age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands, speak on stage in servers, or change message request settings. Direct messages from people a user may not know will go into a separate inbox by default, and users will see warning prompts for friend requests from unfamiliar accounts.

To unlock adult features, Discord requires age verification through one of several methods. Users can choose facial age estimation using a video selfie that is processed entirely on their device, or submit a government ID to Discord’s verification partners. Identity documents are deleted quickly, usually immediately after age confirmation. Discord is also deploying an age inference model that runs in the background to help determine whether an account belongs to an adult, without always requiring manual verification. Some users may be asked to complete multiple steps if more information is needed.

Once verified, users receive confirmation via Discord’s official account. Age status is private and cannot be seen by others, and users can view or appeal their assigned age group at any time in account settings.

Discord previously tested this “teen-by-default” approach in the UK and Australia. The company says the global rollout builds on those results. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s head of product policy, said the goal is to give teens stronger protections while allowing verified adults more flexibility, adding that teen safety remains central to Discord’s product design.

Public reaction to the change has been mixed. Some users support tighter controls around messaging and content for teens. Others are concerned about privacy and mandatory age checks. Critics note that recent security incidents show Discord has struggled to keep user data safe. A breach of a third-party support provider in late 2025 exposed government ID photos and personal information for tens of thousands of users when attackers accessed age verification and support ticket data. Discord says about 70,000 users had their ID photos exposed and that it cut off the vendor’s access and is working with law enforcement, but some reports suggest the stolen data could be much larger. Users on social forums have expressed frustration that verification photos, said to be temporary, were still stored and then leaked, raising doubts about how secure the process really is.

The update follows similar moves across the industry. Instagram already places teens into stricter content and messaging settings by default. Snapchat keeps teen accounts private and limits how they can be discovered. TikTok has expanded AI-based age detection to flag underage users. Discord is also launching a Teen Council made up of 10 to 12 users aged 13 to 17 to advise on future safety features, policies, and tools.

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The post Discord Enforces Teen Safety Globally, Requiring Face Scans or IDs for Adult Access appeared first on Gizmochina.

All users will be put into a "teen-appropriate experience" by default unless they prove that they are adults.