- Discord’s age verification plans ‘clarified’ in updated press release
- Several Nitro users canceled their subscription plans after the announcement
- Discord’s post X was rated by the community due to a recent data breach.
Discord is facing backlash from its users due to its recent announcement of expanded age verification plans, and its recent attempts at damage control have been unsuccessful.
In an updated press release, Discord added “clarifications” on its approach to its age verification plans, which are scheduled to roll out in March. The press release further highlights that not all users will be required to conduct face or identity scans to continue using the platform.
The announcement and updated press release led users to cancel their Nitro subscriptions, and many on Reddit and X are encouraging current subscribers to follow suit. A spike in “Discord alternatives” searches is also apparent, according to Google Trends.
Notably, Discord indicates that the “vast majority” of users will be able to continue using the application normally, without ever being asked to confirm their age. This is possible thanks to Discord’s claims that it will be able to confirm age groups via the information it already has on user activity and age predictions to access age-restricted servers or channels.
However, for users who need to complete age verifications, Discord claims that “facial scans never leave your device” and that identifiers are only used to verify your age and are then deleted.
If you are deeply concerned about Discord’s rollout of age verification globally, you should cancel your Nitro. from r/pcmasterrace
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The same press release update was noted by the community on This directly contradicts his claims that personal selfies and IDs for age verification are removed, and X users were quick to point out the issue in their responses.
It’s no wonder that users are adamantly looking for alternatives to Discord, as the rollout of age verification in March puts security and privacy at risk, despite Discord’s claims.
Many have also suggested that Discord’s press release indicates that it is already “spying” on its users, as it indicates that many adults will not need to verify their age, due to the “information we already have.”
It’s quite obvious that Discord is in a state of damage control, and mass cancellations of Nitro subscriptions won’t do it any favors.
Opinion: Discord, stop punishing everyone for others’ lack of parental controls
We all want better online safety for children every time, and luckily there are many measures already in place to make this easier. The same goes for video games and age-rated entertainment to prevent minors from accessing this content.
However, it seems that everyone is now being punished for the lack of parental controls from others, at the cost of personal information leaks.
Discord’s Family Center exists to ensure that parents can keep tabs on their children and their activities, and while this isn’t completely foolproof, it seems like Discord is taking the extreme route for extra child protection – but frankly, it doesn’t seem like those are Discord’s true intentions, as it would have implemented such changes a long time ago if that were the case.
It’s also worth noting that this essentially follows directly from the UK’s new Online Safety Act, but was initially only implemented for UK users. Discord goes even further by applying this to all users around the world, when it really isn’t necessary, and I don’t blame anyone looking to move away from the platform for good unless they reverse that decision.
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