Discord is implementing a new age verification procedure that requires users in Australia and the UK to scan their faces or government-issued IDs to confirm their age. While some view this as a troubling step towards increased surveillance, Discord claims it is merely an ’experiment’ aimed at compliance with recent laws in these countries that mandate stricter age checks for online platforms. The verification process activates either when a user selects content deemed sensitive or attempts to adjust their content filters.

On their support page, Discord states that when prompted, users can verify their age through a camera scan or by uploading an ID scan via a QR code. After submission, users will receive a notification about their verification status via a direct message on Discord, with the entire process typically completed within minutes. Importantly, they noted that users would only need to verify their age once and would have options to appeal or retry if there’s an error.

This change comes in response to new regulations, particularly the UK’s Online Safety Act and Australia’s upcoming ban on children under 16 using social media. Critics from civil rights groups argue that such measures infringe on privacy and free expression. However, Discord reassured users that it wouldn’t store any biometric data or keep records of the verification scans.