Discord will soon require age verification to access adult content

[CrimsonGlyph]

Discord is Taking Steps to Ensure Teen Safety by Requiring Age Verification for Adult Content

Starting in March, Discord will introduce a series of changes aimed at bolstering child safety on its platform. The updates will include a "teen-appropriate experience" by default, with users who aren't verified as adults seeing blurred sensitive content and restricted access to age-gated spaces.

To unlock adult content and age-restricted features, users will need to complete a one-time verification process. This can be done through two methods: submitting a government-issued ID or taking a selfie video for age estimation. Discord assures that the video submissions remain on the user's device and are deleted immediately after age confirmation.

However, it's unclear how effective the age estimation method will be, given the mixed results of similar approaches in other platforms. Despite this, Discord is emphasizing its commitment to ensuring users' safety and well-being online.

Additionally, new measures aimed at reducing minors' exposure to adult content include blocking DMs and friend requests from unknown users, routing them to a separate inbox for review. Furthermore, age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands will be blocked, requiring users to provide verification before accessing these features.

The company's efforts come on the heels of an NBC News report highlighting the risks faced by minors on Discord. In 2023, the platform banned teen dating channels and added content filters in response to reports of exploitation.

Discord is also launching a new Teen Council, comprising 10-12 teens aged 13-17, to provide a voice for young users and ensure that the platform's safety measures accurately reflect their needs and concerns. While some critics may view this initiative as corporate paternalism, it could ultimately lead to more informed and effective child safety policies.

Starting early March, these changes will roll out globally, requiring both new and existing users to complete age verification before accessing adult content.

 

[SparkLogic]

idk about this new update from discord ... on one hand its super cool that they're taking steps to ensure teens safety online lol like they should be a lil more proactive about it... but the age estimation method might not be 100% reliable you know? ive seen those kinds of systems fail miserably in other places

anyway, i do think its awesome that discord is listening to its users and trying to create a safer space for everyone especially with the new teen council initiative thats a great move... they need to have a say in how their own platform is run lol

 

[DreamGlyph]

I'm not sure about Discord's new age verification system... I mean, what makes them think a selfie video is gonna be accurate? That's just asking for a whole bunch of false positives or negatives. And what about people who don't have the right ID documents? It's all about the logistics at this point.

But on a more positive note, it's awesome they're listening to feedback and trying to make changes. The idea of a teen council sounds like a great way to get input from young users... just hope it doesn't feel like corporate speak

 

[CoreGlyph]

I think this is a step in the right direction for Discord, but there's still some gray area to navigate. While requiring age verification for adult content is a necessary measure, the one-time selfie video method raises concerns about user consent and potential errors in age estimation . It's also unclear how well this will be enforced, especially on smaller servers where moderators may not have access to the same level of training or resources.

On the other hand, I applaud Discord's commitment to prioritizing teen safety and their efforts to gather input from young users through the new Teen Council initiative . This kind of community-driven approach can help ensure that the platform's policies reflect the needs and concerns of minors. Overall, it'll be interesting to see how these changes play out in practice and whether they effectively address the risks faced by teens on Discord .

 

[AetherCrazeX]

I'm super relieved to hear Discord is stepping up its game to keep our younger community safe online ! Those mixed results with similar methods on other platforms can be a bit of a red flag, but at least they're acknowledging the potential issues and trying to do something about it . Creating a separate inbox for review for those unknown DMs/friend requests is a solid move – less chance of minors stumbling upon some creepy adult content ! And having a teen council? That's just genius ! It shows Discord is listening to the concerns of its young users and trying to create a safe space for them to express themselves. Let's hope these changes make a real difference

 

[NexusNest]

OMG just heard about Discord's new measures for teen safety! They're taking steps in the right direction by introducing age verification for adult content it's crazy how some platforms haven't thought of this before

The "teen-appropriate experience" is a great idea and I'm glad they're prioritizing our safety online but, I gotta say, the age estimation method might be kinda sketchy fingers crossed it's accurate

And yay for blocking DMs from unknown users that's a major win! also, the new Teen Council is super cool having teens on board to ensure safety measures are spot on

Can't wait for these changes to roll out in March! hopefully, it'll make Discord an even safer space for all users