In a world where digital interactions blur the lines of age, Discord is tightening its grip. Imagine logging in, only to find yourself locked out of the channels you once frequented. Starting March 2026, all users, whether newcomers or seasoned veterans, will encounter a new gatekeeper: mandatory age verification.
Discord recently announced its “Teen-by-Default Settings” in a blog post. The company emphasizes that this phased global rollout will require users to verify their ages before accessing certain settings or sensitive content: “Beginning with a phased global rollout to new and existing users in early March, users may be required to engage in an age-verification process to change certain settings or access sensitive content. This includes age-restricted channels, servers, or commands and select message requests.”
How Discord’s Policy Will Affect Unverified Users
Imagine wanting to join a vibrant server only to find that your unverified status keeps you in the shadows. Unverified users will face significant limitations: access to sensitive content will be blocked, and participation in Discord Stage channels will be off-limits. They will also receive a warning when attempting to befriend unfamiliar accounts and find direct messages moved to a separate inbox, much like Instagram’s approach.
The push for age verification is rooted in the rising need for online safety, a trend seen across various platforms. Users will need to scan their faces, while Discord’s age inference model will do the heavy lifting. If that fails, a verified government ID will be necessary to complete the process.
Notably, this change will spare those who have already verified their ages on Discord. In fact, the platform has previously tested age verification in select regions, albeit with a security breach that exposed over 70,000 government IDs of users.
This shift points to a growing trend of stricter regulations within the online community. What are your thoughts? Is this a necessary step towards improved safety, or does it border on overreach? Let’s hear your opinions below.