howto: Why You Probably Won't Have to Verify Your Age With Discord

The chatter around Discord's new age verification system has been loud, and it's understandable if you've been bracing yourself for a mandatory ID upload. However, there's good news for the vast majority of users: you likely won't have to go through any manual verification process. Discord has rolled out a nuanced approach that prioritizes automation, saving over 90% of its community from needing to submit identification.

This guide will walk you through how Discord's new system works, explain why you probably won't be affected, and what steps you can take if you do find yourself needing to confirm your age. Our goal is to clarify the process, alleviate concerns, and ensure you understand how to continue enjoying Discord with minimal disruption.

What You'll Accomplish

By the end of this guide, you will:

Understand Discord's new automatic age categorization system.
Learn why most users won't need to manually verify their age.
Know the limitations applied to "Teen Age Group" and "Unconfirmed" accounts.
Be aware of the various options for manual age verification if the automatic system makes an error.
Understand the privacy considerations associated with different verification methods.

How Discord Determines Your Age Automatically

Discord's new system primarily relies on an automatic, non-intrusive method to categorize users into age groups. This process doesn't require any action from you, nor does it involve scanning your personal messages or calls. Instead, Discord analyzes specific account identifiers, such as the age of your account and the types of servers you participate in.

Based on this analysis, you'll be automatically placed into one of three categories:

Adult Age Group: If Discord determines you are 18 years or older, you can continue using the platform without any new restrictions or the need for further verification.
Teen Age Group: If Discord identifies you as being between 13 and 17 years old, you will continue to use Discord with certain protections and limitations, particularly concerning access to adult content and specific settings.
Unconfirmed Age Group: If Discord's system cannot confidently determine your age, your account will have the same limitations as the Teen Age Group. This category also applies to new accounts until the system gathers enough data to make an assessment.

Discord has stated that over 90% of its users will fall into the "Adult Age Group" without any need for manual intervention, indicating a high level of confidence in their automated models. This means it's highly probable you won't even notice this change has occurred.

What Limits Apply to Teen and Unconfirmed Accounts?

If your account is categorized as "Teen Age Group" or "Unconfirmed," you'll encounter some adjustments to your Discord experience, designed to enhance safety for younger users:

Message Requests: Messages from users who are not your friends will now be directed to a message requests inbox by default. You'll need to review and approve these manually. Only adult accounts have the option to disable this setting.
Friend Request Alerts: Discord will provide an alert before you accept a friend request from someone with whom you have no mutual servers or friends, prompting you to consider the connection.
Sensitive Content Filters: You will be unable to view images that Discord's sensitive content filters identify as potentially inappropriate.
Restricted Access: You will not be able to access age-restricted servers or channels, nor will you be able to utilize commands from bots that are designated as age-restricted.

These measures are put in place to create a safer environment for users under 18, aligning with broader online safety initiatives.

What to Do If Discord Gets Your Age Wrong (Manual Verification Options)

While Discord's system is designed to be accurate for most users, it's possible for the automated process to miscategorize your age. If you are 18 or older but find your account in the "Teen Age Group" or "Unconfirmed" category, you have several options to manually verify your true age and regain full access to Discord's features. Following initial community feedback, Discord expanded these options to offer more flexibility:

Credit Cards: You can use a credit card through a secure integration with Stripe. This method checks that an adult owns the card, and Discord explicitly states it does not see or store your credit card number.
App Stores: Depending on your device, you might be able to allow Apple or Google Play to share your age range with Discord for verification. Your specific birthdate is not shared, only a confirmation of your age range.
Google Wallet: If you have a pass set up in Google Wallet that includes information from your passport, Discord can use this to confirm your age.
AgeKey: This is an independent age verification tool that can be used across various online services, including Discord.
ID Scan: You can choose to upload a scan of a government-issued identification document. Discord partners with Veratad for this service and states that any additional data on your ID (beyond your age) is immediately deleted once verification is complete.
Facial Age Estimation: This involves uploading a video selfie, which an AI then uses to estimate your age. Discord assures users that the selfie video itself never leaves your device; only the age estimation result is shared with them.

When choosing a method, consider your comfort level with sharing information through a third party. Discord aims to make these processes as private as possible by only receiving the necessary age confirmation and deleting sensitive data promptly.

Important Considerations and Best Practices

While Discord's improved age verification strategy is a significant step forward from its initial plans, it's crucial to acknowledge that no system is infallible. The automated process, despite its sophistication, might occasionally mislabel users, classifying an adult as a teen or vice versa. For users who value their privacy highly, being prompted for manual verification, even with the enhanced options, can be a point of concern.

Privacy Considerations: Sending personal identification, whether an ID scan or a credit card number, to a third-party service always involves a degree of trust. Although Discord asserts that data is deleted post-verification and only age is shared, the history of data breaches among third-party partners (such as 5CA, a previous partner, which experienced a breach exposing ID images) highlights the inherent risks. It's a reminder that even with the best intentions, the security of sensitive information hinges on every link in the chain.

Choosing Your Verification Method: If you do need to verify your age manually, review the available options carefully. Consider which method you trust most based on the type of data it requires and the third-party service involved. Methods like App Store verification or Google Wallet might feel less intrusive than uploading an ID or a selfie for some users.

This trend of age verification is becoming increasingly common across the internet, driven by new laws and regulations aimed at protecting minors online. While these efforts are important for safety, maintaining personal privacy and data security remains a critical challenge. Staying informed and making deliberate choices about how and where you share your personal information is more important than ever.

Next Steps

For most users, no action is required. Continue using Discord as usual. If you receive a notification that your account has been placed into the "Teen Age Group" or "Unconfirmed" category and you are 18 or older, revisit the "What to Do If Discord Gets Your Age Wrong" section of this guide to choose your preferred verification method. Stay vigilant about your online privacy and keep an eye on official Discord announcements for any further updates.

FAQ

Q: Will everyone have to upload an ID to keep using Discord?

A: No, absolutely not. Discord estimates that over 90% of users will not need to manually verify their age. The system uses an automated process based on account activity to determine your age group. Manual verification, which includes ID scans, is only necessary if the automated system miscategorizes you and you wish to change your age group.

Q: What if I'm 18 or older, but Discord places me in the "Teen Age Group"?

A: If you believe Discord has incorrectly categorized your age, you can easily appeal the decision and verify your age. Discord provides several options for this, including using a credit card, linking through your app store or Google Wallet, using the AgeKey tool, uploading an ID scan, or utilizing facial age estimation. Choose the method you are most comfortable with to confirm your true age.

Q: Are the manual age verification methods secure and private?

A: Discord states that it has implemented measures to protect your privacy during manual verification. For instance, when using a credit card, Discord does not see your full number, and with ID scans, only your age is received, with other data immediately deleted. For facial age estimation, the video never leaves your device. However, these methods do involve sharing some personal data with third-party partners. It's always wise to understand the privacy policies of these third parties and choose the method that best aligns with your comfort level regarding data sharing.