Starting next month, Discord will implement a new policy requiring age verification for users wishing to access age-restricted channels and features on the platform. This change aims to protect users under 13 years of age by ensuring appropriate content use. Discord announced this update, which will take effect globally beginning in March, on Monday.

To verify age, users will need to submit a picture of their identification or a facial image for age assessment. New and existing users will be required to complete this process. If age cannot be confirmed, Discord will apply preset settings designed for a teenage audience, resulting in some content being blurred for younger users. In cases of ambiguity in verification, additional methods may be requested from certain users to ensure compliance.

While this initiative is intended to safeguard minors, it may raise privacy concerns among users, particularly regarding the use of third-party services to verify age. The requirement of providing identifiable information could deter some users from fully engaging with the platform, impacting Discord's user experience and community interaction.