(Credit: Thomas Fuller/NurPhoto via Getty Images)James Peckham
Two weeks after introducing plans for a global age verification system, Discord is delaying its rollout to later this year to make changes to how it will work. The move comes after user backlash, with Discord saying many misunderstood its system and intentions.
Discord announced plans for an “age assurance” system that verifies whether a user is an adult or a teenager and sets limits on their account. Discord says that over 90% of its users wouldn’t need to share an identity document to confirm their age, but some would need to do so to continue using all of the platform’s features.
The gaming-focused messaging tool originally planned to introduce age-assurance features in March, but its new delay has pushed them to the second half of 2026. An exact launch date has not yet been confirmed.
In a blog post, Discord CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy said, “The way this landed, many of you walked away thinking we’re requiring face scans and ID uploads from everyone just to use Discord.
“That’s not what’s happening, but the fact that so many people believe it tells us we failed at our most basic job: clearly explaining what we’re doing and why. That’s on us.”
He explains in the blog post that many users won’t need to share data, since the brand has tools to determine a user’s age. For example, it can tell how long an account has been active, whether it has a payment method on file, and other general activity patterns to identify whether a user is an adult.
Vishnevskiy says Discord will now make more tweaks to its system to help those who are asked to prove their age avoid sharing a government ID. That includes the option to use a credit card to prove you’re an adult.
He says the brand will also share a technical blog post around the features before launch so users can “evaluate” its approach. It will also introduce age data into its transparency reports and improve vendor transparency.
Many users were skeptical of these tools just months after a third-party service provider lost the details of over 70,000 US Discord users in a hack. Government ID documents shared with the brand’s support channels were lost following a data breach on the 5CA platform. Discord no longer works with the vendor.
After announcing age verification, a Discord alternative, Matrix, said it saw a “huge spike of signups” as users considered switching to another service.
[…]
The Most Revolutionary Act 