Age verification is now mandatory for both existing and new Discord users worldwide.
Adults aged 18 and over can continue using all Discord features once their age has been verified. Teen users between the ages of 13 and 17, meanwhile, can only send messages and participate in voice chats with people on their friends list, and they can only join servers that are not age-restricted.
For some users, the very mention of age verification may immediately raise privacy concerns. However, if you are an existing Discord user, you may not have to do anything at all.
Discord says that more than 90% of its existing users will not need to go through an additional age verification process.
For those users, their age group has already been estimated automatically based on signals such as the age of their Discord account, previous purchases made on the platform, and other account-related information.
Discord offers several ways to verify your age
If a user's age has not already been confirmed, Discord offers several methods for completing the verification process.
Following significant criticism earlier this year, the company clarified that facial scans and identity documents would not be the only available options.
Users can also verify their age by providing credit card information, using Google Play or Apple's App Store, through Google Wallet, or via AgeKey.
Discord says it wants to be transparent about the process and has publicly documented the age-verification service providers it uses, along with additional details about how verification works.
Discord says the changes are designed to protect teen users
Discord co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy explained that the platform introduced the system as part of a broader effort to strengthen protections for teenage users.
He acknowledged that any form of age verification — particularly when biometric information or identity documents are involved — is controversial and raises legitimate privacy concerns.
According to Vishnevskiy, however, internet regulations around the world are increasingly moving toward stricter age-assurance requirements.
Discord therefore decided to introduce stronger protections for teenagers globally, including in regions where such measures are not yet legally required.
The company says that offering non-biometric verification methods is also intended to give users more privacy-friendly options while allowing Discord to stay ahead of future regulatory requirements.
Vishnevskiy also argued that decisions being made by regulators today will influence how online platforms approach teen safety and privacy for years to come, encouraging users to make their views heard in their own countries.
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