Discord to Set all Users as Teens Until Proof of Age Is Offered

Discord has announced a new teen-by-default stance, meaning that every user will be treated as a teenager – with the corresponding limitations – until they complete an age-verification process that could include facial scanning or presentation of ID.

The security-oriented measure is set to be enforced starting in early March.

Companies worldwide are facing a real problem when it comes to kids accessing their online platforms. Many of them have come to the realization that children might access content that's not meant for them, or, in some situations, predators will go after kids using the same platforms.

Discord is already in hot water

Discord is already facing several lawsuits directly related to its teen users. The Attorney General in New Jersey sued Discord, alleging it violated the state's Consumer Fraud Act by marketing itself as a "safe space" while failing to implement effective safety measures.

Parents in Kentucky and Louisiana have also sued Roblox and Discord at the same time, claiming that their security tools failed to stop predators from reaching their children. 

In California, the Social Media Victims Law Center filed a lawsuit against Discord and Roblox for allegedly facilitating the exploitation of a minor. In Texas, the law firm Anapol Weiss argues that Roblox and Discord are defectively designed. 

Meaningful measures 

What is a teen-by-default setting? The platform has a number of restrictions for teen accounts, but the process of creating a new account made age verification feel more like a voluntary feature. This meant that kids could simply say they were 18 or older and get access to content not meant for them.

A teen account has the following limitations: 

• All explicit content filters are turned on automatically; teens won't see adult images, videos, or links
• Messages from people not already in the teen's friends list go to a separate message request inbox instead of the main chat
• Teens receive warnings and confirmations before accepting friend requests from adults.
• Participation in adult-only communities or features is limited until age is verified.
• Age-gated commands, tools, and areas are hidden or locked

What happens next?

"Beginning with a phased global rollout to new and existing users in early March, users may be required to engage in an age-verification process to change certain settings or access sensitive content. This includes age-restricted channels, servers, or commands and select message requests," said Discord.

The company says users will be able to choose between facial age estimation and submitting a form of identification to its vendor partners.

However, Discord will also implement an inference model meant to determine age by analyzing how the user interacts with the service.

"Discord will implement its age inference model, a new system that runs in the background to help determine whether an account belongs to an adult, without always requiring users to verify their age. Some users may be asked to use multiple methods if more information is needed to assign an age group," the company added.

Everyone is worried about security

The first problem on everyone's mind is security, especially when you hear about facial or ID scanning. Last year, a Discord data breach was traced to a third-party vendor, which exposed the information and ID photos of more than 70,000 users worldwide.

According to a report by The Verge, Discord has dropped that company and says it's working with another. In fact, they say scanned IDs are now deleted right after the age confirmation process ends, and facial recognition only happens on device.

The online reaction hasn't been stellar, especially on X, where Discord is trending, or on Reddit. In fact, the company expects to lose some users in the process, but says that it will find ways to win them back.

Discord is estimated to have around 260 million users globally and around 28.9 million Discord servers. The number of teens is difficult to estimate, and the platform doesn't share these numbers.

However, a 2024 Pew Research study found that 44% of teen gamers in the United States alone use Discord, so it's very likely that the total number of teens worldwide is considerable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What does “teen-by-default” mean on Discord?

Discord applies teen safety settings automatically until a user’s age is confirmed.

2. Are all users treated as teens?

No. Adults regain full access after completing age assurance.

3. How does Discord verify age?

Users can choose facial age estimation or ID verification. Discord may also use behavioral age inference.

4. Is ID verification mandatory?

Only to access age-restricted features or change certain settings.

5. Does Discord store facial scans or IDs?

No. Facial scans stay on-device, and IDs are deleted after verification.

6. What restrictions apply to teen accounts?

Content filters are on, age-gated spaces are locked, and messages from unknown users go to a separate inbox.

7. Can teens disable safety settings?

No. Only verified adults can change them.

8. What if a user refuses age verification?

They can still use Discord but keep the teen restrictions.

9. When does this take effect?

The rollout starts globally in early March.