Discord rolls out mandatory age verification globally for 18+ content access

Discord has announced a global rollout of mandatory age verification for all users starting March 2026. By default, every account will be switched to a “teen mode,” restricting access to adult content until the user confirms they are of legal age. This move is part of a broader effort to tighten moderation amid increasing regulatory pressure.

To lift age restrictions, users will have two verification options: facial age estimation through a video selfie, or uploading an ID via partnered services. Discord assures that biometric data never leaves the user’s device, and document scans are deleted immediately after verification or shortly thereafter. Users whose age can’t be verified automatically will need to combine both methods.

Once age verification is complete, users will be able to:

• Disable filters on sexual content;
• Access servers and channels marked 18+;
• Adjust privacy settings to receive messages from strangers;
• Participate in “stage” mode on voice servers;
• Turn off friend request warnings.

Unverified accounts will remain under strict restrictions: all messages from unknown users will be automatically sorted into a separate “Requests” folder, and adult content will be blurred or blocked. Discord also reserves the right to impose further limitations on teen accounts, such as purchase caps or restrictions on monetized activities.

This global rollout follows pilot programs in the UK and Australia throughout 2025, where age checks have already become mandatory under laws like the UK Online Safety Act. However, the new requirements have sparked criticism from digital rights advocates. In October 2025, hackers breached a third-party Discord verification service, stealing data from 70,000 users, including passport and driver’s license scans. The incident underscored the risks linked to centralized biometric data collection.

Experts warn that this approach could fragment Discord communities, which previously allowed adults and teens to interact freely. Questions remain about the accuracy of facial age estimation algorithms, which often struggle with non-European facial features or people with unique appearances. Still, for Discord – now with 500 million users – this is a necessary step to avoid multi-billion-dollar fines like those already imposed on Meta* and TikTok for inadequate protection of minors.

* Owned by Meta, which is designated as an extremist organization in Russia and banned there.