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Social platform Discord is trialling facial scanning technology to verify user ages in the United Kingdom and Australia.
The test comes as platforms face increasing regulatory pressure, particularly in the UK where the Online Safety Act mandates “robust” age verification methods for services hosting adult content by July 2025.
Initially popular with gamers but now hosting diverse communities including adult content, Discord is exploring this method alongside the option for users to upload photo identification.
The facial scanning process involves users taking a video selfie, which is then analysed by AI to estimate their age. This approach mirrors a system implemented by Instagram in 2022 for users wishing to change their age setting to over 18.
Experts suggest this move is part of a broader industry trend away from simple self-declaration of age. Social media analyst Matt Navarra described robust age assurance as the “new seatbelt for the internet,” predicting it will become standard practice, driven by regulatory demands for genuine proof of age.
He noted the significant risks for non-compliance, including potential fines of up to 10% of global turnover under the UK’s Online Safety Act.
Despite the regulatory push, privacy campaigners have raised concerns about the effectiveness and potential privacy implications of using facial analysis for age verification. Discord has not yet confirmed if the feature will be rolled out more widely beyond the initial UK and Australian tests.
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