Discord Launches Its Age Assurance System Amid Privacy Concerns

Discord now operates an age assurance system that automatically categorizes users as adults, teens, or unconfirmed based on contextual signals, such as account age and server participation. It is the approach co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Stanislav Vishnevskiy outlined after apologizing for the policy in February.

Restrictions and Age Verification

Much of Discord’s current age assurance policy reflects what Vishnevskiy described in February. Discord will restrict teen accounts by blurring sensitive messages and removing access to Stage channels. Users who are incorrectly categorized as teens can correct their status through age verification, which may involve providing a photograph of a government-issued ID to one of Discord’s verification vendors.

This inherently invasive verification process, combined with uncertainty about how third parties handle user data, initially alarmed Discord users and prompted Vishnevskiy’s self-critical letter. However, he never committed to abandoning age assurance or substantially redesigning the system. Much of what Discord has now launched is consistent with his previous attempt at transparency.

Discord’s Response to Privacy Concerns

In a new blog post, Discord reiterates that “More than 90% of you won’t be asked to confirm your age.” Vishnevskiy also acknowledges the controversy: “Any form of age assurance, and the possibility of sharing something biometric or an ID, is a controversial topic. Rightfully so, because of what it represents and where internet legislation around the world is heading: toward a more gated internet.”

“This is bigger than us,” Vishnevskiy concedes. However, he argues that Discord has little choice but to analyze personal data because “Laws requiring age assurance are expanding around the world. Rather than waiting to be told how to do it, we’re launching our own privacy-preserving approach.”

Vishnevskiy also acknowledges that the system will make errors: “No model is perfect, and ours is going to make mistakes, though we believe our model performs as accurately as other available methods. [...] We’ll keep learning and continue working to improve the model over time, even as the misses inevitably make their way into memes and social posts.”

Additional Age Confirmation Options

“In February, the only methods we’d planned for to confirm your age were facial age estimation or an ID scan,” Vishnevskiy says. However, “based on your feedback, we committed to giving you more options that meet our high privacy standards.”

Depending on factors such as region or device, users may also be able to confirm their age through:

• Credit card information

• An age range recorded by the Apple App Store

• A passkey from the AgeKey website

A Changing Internet

Vishnevskiy appears to anticipate users’ broader frustration that online services are becoming increasingly restrictive while technology companies seek greater access to personal data. Nevertheless, Discord is proceeding with the system.

“I grew up on the early internet. It’s where I found people who were into the same things I was, even when no one around me shared those interests, and that changed the direction of my life,” Vishnevskiy says. However, he adds, “The internet has changed since then, and we don’t live in a perfect world, which is why our goal is the same one I wrote about in February.” His position, at least, remains consistent.

Discord’s Response to the GTA 6 Court Order

Separately, Discord says it will “evaluate the validity and scope before responding” to the controversial court order concerning GTA 6 leaks. The platform states that it “has not yet been served.”