Discord introduces automated age estimates, with Australia excluded
The platform will use account signals to estimate whether users are teens or adults, after pausing an earlier verification system over privacy concerns.
Discord is rolling out automatic age-group estimates for users worldwide, except in Australia and the UK. Users it estimates to be aged 13 to 17 will face restrictions on some adult content and messaging features.
The company says its model uses account age and history, activity levels, and connected communities, servers and games. Discord co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy says it does not examine messages, calls or other content.
Users estimated to be teens will have safety protections enabled by default, including filters and blurring for sensitive content. Access to age-restricted servers and some messaging features will also be limited.
Discord says about 90 per cent of users will not need to confirm their age. Those who do can choose from options including face or ID scans, credit cards, app stores, Google Wallet and AgeKey. Users the system cannot estimate may have some settings and features restricted until they provide more information.
The rollout follows Discord’s decision in February to pause earlier verification measures after privacy concerns and a breach at a third-party vendor exposed user information and scanned photo IDs.
