Discord has been a staple for gamers and online workers for years now, earning its reputation as one of the best voice chat applications available. The platform built its community on accessibility and ease of use, making it the go-to choice for millions of users worldwide.
Recently, Discord announced that some users may need to verify their age to access certain content on the platform. This new requirement has sparked significant discussion across the community, with users expressing concerns about privacy and the verification process itself.
In this article, we’ll talk about the details of the announcement, the fans’ reaction, and Discord’s response to the backlash.
The Announcement Details and Who It’s For
Discord announced on Monday that it will be launching teen-by-default settings globally next month. The rollout begins in early March 2026 and affects every Discord account, both new and existing.
All users will automatically be placed into a teen-appropriate experience unless they verify they are adults. This means the platform will treat everyone as a teenager by default, regardless of actual age.
Users will need to verify their age as adults to unblur sensitive content or change these default settings. Only verified adults will be able to access age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands.
Direct messages from people you may not know are routed to a separate inbox by default. Only verified adults can modify this setting. Additionally, only verified adults may speak on stage in servers.
To verify your age, Discord offers two options: facial age estimation through a video selfie or submitting an ID to Discord’s vendor partners. The company plans to add more verification methods in the future.
And the Fans Hated It, Rightfully So
The announcement sparked immediate backlash from users. Many people don’t believe Discord’s claim that this is about protecting minors, seeing it instead as a form of censorship and an invasion of privacy.
The biggest issue is trust. Just months ago, in October 2025, hackers breached Discord’s third-party customer support service and exposed government ID photos of approximately 70,000 users. Now, Discord wants more users to submit the exact same type of sensitive data that already leaked.
Before this announcement, Discord appointed a new CEO in April 2025. Humam Sakhnini, who previously worked at Activision Blizzard and King, is Israeli. This caused additional backlash from some users who connected the new leadership to the verification requirements. Users flooded Reddit and social media, threatening to cancel their Nitro subscriptions and abandon the platform altogether.
Discord Responded to the Backlash
After the backlash, Discord tried to walk back the announcement. The company claimed that age verification will only be required for some users, not everyone. Most people can supposedly continue using Discord without ever confirming their age.
Discord explained that it will use an AI system to guess users’ ages based on account history and activity. Only users who can’t be verified automatically and want to access age-restricted content will need to submit a face scan or ID. The company also said facial scans never leave your device, and IDs get deleted immediately.
This response got community noted on X, reminding everyone about the October 2025 breach where 70,000 government IDs were leaked. Users still don’t trust Discord. Searches for Discord alternatives jumped 10,000% overnight, and people kept canceling their Nitro subscriptions regardless of what Discord said.
Final Words
Discord’s age verification rollout has been a disaster. The company destroyed user trust by asking for sensitive data that already leaked just months ago.
Despite Discord’s clarifications, users are still searching for alternatives and canceling Nitro subscriptions. The platform built its reputation on being accessible and privacy-friendly. Now it’s asking for face scans and government IDs. The community made it clear they’re not okay with this direction.