Discord is implementing a global age verification mandate requiring users to provide video selfies or government identification to access age-restricted content. This move has triggered significant backlash from a community concerned about privacy and the platform's history of data breaches.
Discord plans to launch a phased global rollout in early March that will default all accounts to teen-appropriate settings. To access adult content or unblur sensitive media, users must undergo an age estimation process powered by artificial intelligence. The company claims that while government IDs are checked off-device, facial recognition data remains on the user's hardware and all information is deleted after the verification is complete. Some users may be required to use multiple verification methods if their initial age group cannot be accurately determined.
The announcement has sparked intense criticism across social media, where users have expressed deep skepticism regarding Discord’s ability to protect sensitive data. These fears are rooted in a recent security incident from October, where hackers compromised a third-party service used by Discord in the United Kingdom and Australia. That breach resulted in the theft of government IDs belonging to 70,000 users, leading to warnings from security experts that such data is frequently targeted for extortion and identity theft.
Critics on platforms like Reddit have slammed the decision, with many arguing that expanding data collection only makes Discord a more lucrative target for cybercriminals. Some users have declared the policy a terminal mistake for the company, suggesting that uploading official identification to a third-party platform is an inherent risk to personal security. The sentiment among the gaming community is particularly hostile, as many recall the previous breach and question why they should trust the platform with even more personal information now.
Concerns also extend to the use of facial scanning technology, with many users vowing to leave the platform rather than submit a selfie for AI evaluation. There is a widespread suspicion that the company may be downplaying the long-term privacy risks or engaging in data harvesting under the guise of safety. Many long-time members are currently discussing alternative communication apps, fearing that a massive repository of biometric and government data is an inevitable target for future hacks.
Despite Discord's assurances that the data is handled securely and deleted promptly, the community remains unconvinced. The prevailing opinion among vocal users is that the risk of identity theft outweighs the benefit of accessing restricted channels. As the March deadline approaches, the tension between Discord's safety initiatives and the user base's demand for privacy continues to grow, leaving the future of the platform's social dynamic in question.
Source: Discord Faces Backlash After Data Breach Exposes 70,000 IDs via Age Checks