Discord Tests Facial Scans For Age Verification
Discord is testing a new age verification system in the UK and Australia that asks users to scan their face or submit ID before accessing sensitive content. The company says the checks are a “one-time process” and only apply if users encounter flagged material or change settings to view it. The move comes as both countries push platforms to tighten age restrictions, especially for sites hosting adult content, under new laws aimed at protecting minors.
Privacy concerns have been quick to follow. Campaigners warn that face scanning and ID checks could open the door to security risks and data misuse, even though Discord insists no biometric information is collected or stored. “For Face Scan, the solution our vendor uses operates on-device,” the company said. “For ID verification, the scan of your ID is deleted upon verification.”
The push for tougher age checks is part of a wider global trend. Experts like Matt Navarra believe facial recognition could become “the new seatbelt for the internet” as regulators demand proof of age rather than self-declared birthdates. Australia is going even further, planning to ban under-16s from social media altogether by the end of the year.
