Discord requiring face scan or ID for full access

February 10, 2026 - 05:59

The popular social and gaming platform Discord has begun rolling out a new age assurance system. The technology will require certain users to verify their age by submitting a video selfie or a form of government-issued identification to gain full access to the platform's features.

The company states the initiative is designed to ensure users meet the minimum age requirement of 13 and to provide more accurate age-gating for content restricted to adults. The move aims to enhance safety, particularly for younger users, by creating more reliable age barriers within servers and direct messages.

Discord has partnered with a third-party verification service to handle the biometric data. The company emphasizes that it does not store the identification documents or selfie videos itself. Once verification is complete, the media is deleted from the vendor's systems. Users who decline to verify or who are found to be underage may face restricted access to certain servers or features.

The policy is being implemented gradually, initially targeting users who are suspected of being underage or who wish to access age-restricted communities. The announcement has sparked a mix of reactions within Discord's vast user base, with some praising the focus on safety and others expressing concerns over privacy and data security related to the collection of sensitive biometric information.