Discord is introducing a more thorough age verification system next month. This new provision is a real step forward in making example city safer for its youth riders. This grantmaking initiative is part of the platform’s larger strategy. It’s designed to ensure a safe social experience for teens and a social discovery experience for trusted adults.
Rueben reiterated that in the coming changes, Discord plans to introduce “teen-by-default settings” for all users under the age of 18. As Savannah Badalich, Discord’s head of product policy, told me, this change is meant to build on the existing safety measures. “Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility,” Badalich stated.
Aisha Malik, consumer news reporter at TechCrunch, has been on top of this developing story. Previously, she received her honours bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto. Along with her bachelor’s degree, she holds a master’s degree in journalism from Western University. Aisha joined TechCrunch full-time in 2021 and before that was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup.
While age verification will likely be unnecessary for most adults, the process will be primarily account-based instead of requiring direct verification for all users. “For most adults, age verification won’t be required, as Discord’s age inference model uses account information such as account tenure, device and activity data, and aggregated, high-level patterns across Discord communities,” a representative from Discord explained.
This effort comes on the heels of a growing national push for online safety for minors, particularly in gaming and social media spaces. In signing the safety pledge, Discord agreed to make teen safety a priority in all its product development. “We design our products with teen safety principles at the core and will continue working with safety experts, policymakers, and Discord users to support meaningful, long-term wellbeing for teens on the platform,” Badalich added.
The rollout of age verification follows a similar trend on social media platforms to implement stronger user protection efforts. Today, companies are facing pressure from regulators and the public to do more to protect younger audiences. Consequently, many are implementing high verification as a default mode.
Aisha Malik is AASHTO’s point of contact for more information on this subject. She’s available by encrypted chat on Signal at aisha_malik.01.