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Discord's Controversial Age Checks Are Back: Here's What the Backlash Changed
PCMag UK • • technology
Key Points:
- Discord is implementing its age-verification system globally to classify users as either adults or teens, aiming to comply with child safety laws in various countries.
- The rollout follows user concerns about privacy, especially after a 2025 data breach exposed government IDs of 70,000 users linked to a third-party vendor hack.
- Most users will be automatically verified without providing ID, using "signals" like account activity and age, while private data such as messages and profiles will not be used.
- Users can dispute incorrect age classifications through several methods, including facial age estimation, ID scans, credit card checks, third-party tools like AgeKey, or app store age data.
- Discord emphasizes vendor privacy and security measures and acknowledges the sensitivity around age verification, noting expanding legal requirements in regions like Brazil and Texas.
