Discord has announced the implementation of a new age verification system that will limit access to certain servers and features for underage users.
This measure, which will be launched globally in March, will involve the use of facial recognition and ID verification, raising concerns about privacy and data usage. In particular, the system is linked to investors in surveillance companies, which generates distrust among users who value their privacy.
Age verification is here to stay
The submarine of this new system is not merely automatic; according to a representative from Discord, the classification of servers and content will not depend exclusively on the rating of the games.
Instead, a combination of automatic detection and human review will be used to identify and restrict access to different sections of the platform. This contrasts with the perception that some servers would be automatically restricted based solely on their rating.
However, the restrictions do not end there. Losing access to features like “stage channels”—where designated speakers interact with an audience that can only listen—may not impact many users, but other limitations, such as restrictions on direct messages and friend requests, will certainly affect the overall experience on the platform.
With the growing controversy surrounding age verification and privacy monitoring, many users are starting to consider alternatives to Discord, especially in light of the possibility of being part of an “experiment” related to age verification involving a company connected to controversial investors, including Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir. This concern has led some to reflect on returning to more traditional online communication options, such as IRC.
