How you interact with Discord is changing, unless you’re willing to give them some information. Discord is rolling out new Teen-by-default settings for all users globally beginning in March, the company announced in a press release. Discord states that these changes are being made to help “reinforce its long-standing commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive experience for users over the age of 13.” Users will now need to confirm their age either through Discord’s facial recognition software or a third-party to gain full access to certain features, including restricted channels, message requests, friend requests, and specific commands.
For those in Australia and the U.K., Discord already began delivering these changes in 2025. The company claims it’s now taking these measures globally in an effort to protect younger generations as they interact online. When the restrictions were first introduced, users were able to circumvent them by tricking Discord’s facial recognition software with characters from the game “Death Stranding,” though this has now been fixed. Additionally, Discord introduced ads to the mobile experience in 2025, allowing users to watch paid promotions to obtain rewards.
With Discord giving itself a huge glow-up back in March 2025, the company seems more focused on privacy and protections for younger audiences. While these new features may help young users, others will now have certain settings enabled by default until they prove they’re adults.
Discord needs your face or age to provide all features
With the new protections for Discord rolling out in March, new and existing users will be considered teen users by default. They will need to verify their age to disable content filters, access certain age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands; receive direct messages from users they don’t know without having them routed to a separate inbox; receive warnings about friend requests; and speak on stage within servers.
To verify one’s age, users have the option of using Discord’s facial age estimation software or submitting material to a third-party vendor — the company promises that additional verification options will be added in the future. On top of users needing to confirm their age, Discord is also implementing an “age inference model” which runs in the background of Discord and helps “determine whether an account belongs to an adult, without always requiring users to verify their age.” The release mentions that some users may need to use multiple methods to be assigned to an age group.
Once users submit the requested materials, they will receive a confirmation from an official Discord account. They will also be able to view their assigned age group through My Account within their settings, and this is also where they can appeal any decisions concerning their age. No word on whether you’ll be able to talk with Discord’s chatbot to confirm your identity, but the company is adding more individuals to its Teen Council to help them address what teens need to stay safe online.
