TechGamingNewsDiscord will now automatically estimate your ageThe verification rollout was previously paused in response to privacy concerns.The verification rollout was previously paused in response to privacy concerns.by Jess WeatherbedSep 23, 2026, 2:27 PM UTCShareGiftImage: The VergePart OfLet me see some ID: age verification is spreading across the internetsee all updates Jess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.Discord is rolling out a new global age assurance system, seven months after pausing its previous verification measures following backlash from users. Starting today in every country except Australia and the UK, Discord will automatically assign users to an estimated age group based on “multiple account signals,” with account restrictions placed on users believed to be between 13 and 17.The updates follow Discord slamming the brakes on its earlier age verification rollout in February in response to data privacy concerns. Its previous system required adults to verify themselves via video selfies or ID documentation, and faced criticism after a data breach at a third-party Discord vendor exposed user info and scanned photo IDs.If Discord is unable to automatically assign you an age group, or places you in the wrong one, you’ll have to head to this setting to provide verification information.
Image: DiscordSince then, Discord has now pivoted to a system that shouldn’t require users to take any action themselves. According to the announcement from Discord co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy, signals examined by the platform’s age group estimation model include account age and history, activity levels across channels and servers, and connected communities, servers, and games. Vishnevskiy says the system doesn’t look at user “messages, calls, or other content,” and that its age estimation accuracy is on par with “what’s possible with biometrics.” Discord is anticipating that under this system, 90 percent of its users won’t be asked to confirm their age.Here are all the methods Discord users can now use to manually verify their age. Image: DiscordUsers believed to be over 18 will be placed in the Adult age group, with no changes to their account.
Users in the Teen age group will have certain safety protections enabled by default, including filters and blurring for sensitive content, and restricted access for +18 servers and messaging features. Discord pledged to introduce additional verification options when it paused the age assurance launch, and these are now rolling out as part of this update. Alongside face and ID scans, users can also choose to confirm their age via credit cards, Apple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store, Google Wallet, and the AgeKey credential system.If Discord is unable to automatically estimate the user’s age, some settings and features won’t be available until the user provides additional information to confirm their age group in User Settings > Account Status. Adult users can also use this setting to supply additional verification details if they’re misassigned to the teen group.“We believe meeting age requirements shouldn’t require ID checks or selfies for everyone.
We’d prefer to give you more choices, including less intrusive options that don’t require biometrics or sensitive personal data,” said Vishnevskiy. “My hope is that our approach shows we can preserve what makes Discord special while taking seriously the responsibility that comes with it.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jess WeatherbedGamingNewsPolicyTechPornhub’s age checks are being investigated in the UK.Jess Weatherbed8:55 AM UTCEU proposes banning kids under 13 from social media, online games, and AI chatbots.Thomas RickerSep 16California unanimously passed a Linux age verification exemption.Stevie BonifieldAug 31Most PopularActivision is taking over Halo as part of a massive Xbox shake-upiPhone owners can now submit claims in Apple’s $250 million Siri AI settlementXbox is barely Xbox anymoreCan you forget how you feel about Meta?Trump says the US is officially renaming AI to ‘super intelligence’Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad
