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Discord requiring face scan or ID for full access
- On Feb. 9, 2026, Discord announced a global teen-by-default experience for all users, with age verification starting next month and a phased rollout in early March to access restricted content.
- Last year, Discord piloted teen-by-default settings in the U.K. and Australia, framing the global rollout as a privacy-forward step amid pressure from regulators, safety experts and policymakers.
- The verification system uses on-device facial age estimation with video selfies that never leave the device, while IDs submitted to third-party vendor partners are deleted quickly and an age inference model runs in the background.
- Unverified accounts will face new access limits: they cannot enter age-restricted servers or speak on Stage, and messages from unfamiliar users go to the Message Request Inbox with Friend Request Alerts enabled.
- Discord is recruiting a Teen Council now through May 1, 2026, following an October vendor data breach, and acknowledges some users may avoid verification as Roblox and YouTube adopt similar steps.
Insights by Ground AI
34 Articles
34 Articles
Discord turns to facial recognition in child safety crackdown
The rollout, beginning in early March, will make teen-appropriate settings the default for all users, with adults needing to verify their age to loosen protections. The move follows similar actions by rivals facing intense scrutiny over child safety.
·Paris, France
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources34
Leaning Left8Leaning Right5Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution48% Center
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources are Center
48% Center
L 32%
C 48%
R 20%
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