Global instant messaging platform Discord announced that starting in March, it will implement a stricter age verification mechanism, requiring users to undergo facial scanning or upload valid identification documents to remove the restriction. Discord stated that the new system aims to protect teenagers and enhance platform security, but this move has quickly raised concerns about privacy risks and data centralization, sparking heated discussions, especially within the crypto community.
Discord's "Teen Preset Mode" is now available; full functionality requires unlocking.
Discord stated that the new policy will pre-select all users as "teenagers," and only those who complete age verification and are confirmed as adults will be able to remove some restrictions, including entering communities labeled as NSFW (Not for Young People), removing the blurring of sensitive content, and receiving private messages from unknown users.
Regarding verification methods, users can choose to upload government-issued identification documents or record a selfie video for the AI system to estimate their age. Discord points out that this system was originally intended to comply with online safety regulations in the UK and Australia, but will now be extended to all users worldwide. The official statement emphasizes that protecting minors is at the core of the platform's security efforts, and the new system is an extension of the existing framework.
Face scanning and document uploading are performed in parallel; Discord promises not to retain any data.
Regarding the privacy concerns that are of utmost concern to the public, Discord explained that facial scan images will not be stored, and identity documents are only used for one-time verification and will be deleted after completion. Related data will not be retained by the platform.
However, in fact, in October 2025, Discord had just experienced a hacking incident involving an external age verification provider, which resulted in the potential leakage of official ID photos of approximately 70,000 users, raising widespread questions about the security of third-party verification mechanisms.
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Experts: The safety intention is positive, but the risks of implementation cannot be ignored.
Drew Benvie, head of social media consulting firm Battenhall, believes that protecting teenagers from inappropriate content is a common pressure faced by most platforms. However, with millions of users, Discord's age verification system, if not implemented smoothly, could negatively impact the user experience.
He pointed out that the new system may cause some users to leave due to their unwillingness to provide personal information, but it may also attract users who value security and compliance, especially as the company seeks to launch an IPO.
Benvie stated that this development path echoes the direction taken by major social media platforms such as Meta , TikTok , and Roblox in recent years to strengthen measures to protect minors.
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Crypto community backlash: Deanonymization may become the norm for surveillance
Compared to general users, the crypto community, which frequently uses Discord, reacted particularly strongly to this policy. Ryan Sean Adams, co-founder of Bankless, pointed out that the government's decentralization of age and identity verification responsibilities to the platform level is tantamount to encouraging companies to collect large amounts of biometric and identity data, which will lead to the deanonymization of cyberspace in the long run and amplify the risks brought about by data centralization.
Garga.eth, co-founder of BAYC, admitted that Discord accounts for crypto projects have always been easy to hack and have become a breeding ground for phishing scams. He said that if the community chooses to raise the verification threshold instead of improving account security and user cybersecurity education, more communities may choose to shut down Discord and switch to other communication tools.
Discord's new age verification system reflects the tug-of-war between regulatory pressure and privacy rights on social media platforms worldwide. Facial scanning and identity verification may achieve the effect of protecting minors, but they also make the platform a central hub for sensitive personal data.
This article, "Discord Launches Age Verification Mechanism: Requiring Facial Scanning and Uploading ID Cards Raises Privacy Concerns," first appeared on ABMedia ABMedia .
