- Discord’s plans for age verification have been ‘clarified’ in an updated press release
- Several Nitro users have canceled subscription plans following the announcement
- Discord’s X posts have been noted in the community due to recent data breach
Discord is facing backlash from its users over its recent announcement of expanded age verification plans, and its recent damage control attempts have not been successful.
In an updated press release, Discord has added ‘clarification’ about its approach to its age verification plans, which are set to roll out in March. The press release further highlights that not all users will be required to complete face or ID scans to continue using the platform.
Both the announcement and the updated press release have led to users canceling Nitro subscriptions, with many on Reddit and X urging current subscribers to follow suit. An increase in ‘Discord alternatives’ searches is also evident, according to Google Trends.
Notably, Discord says that the “vast majority” of users will be able to continue using the app as normal without ever being asked to verify their age. This is possible via Discord’s claims that it will be able to verify age groups via the information it already has about users’ activity and age predictions to access age-restricted servers or channels.
For users required to complete age verification checks, Discord claims that “facial scans never leave your device” and that IDs are only used to verify your age and are subsequently deleted.
If you are deeply concerned about Discord rolling out age verification globally, you should cancel your Nitro. from r/pcmasterrace
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The same update to the press release has been noted on X when Discord faced a major data breach in 2025 that leaked 70,000 government IDs. This directly contradicts its claims that personal selfies and age verification IDs are deleted, and X users were quick to highlight the matter in response.
It’s no wonder users are desperately searching for Discord alternatives as this March rollout of age verification puts security and privacy at risk, despite Discord’s claims.
Many have also suggested that Discord’s press release indicates that it is already ‘spying’ on its users, as it says that many adults do not need to complete age verification due to ‘information we already have’.
It’s abundantly clear that Discord is in a state of damage control, and mass cancellations of Nitro subscriptions won’t do it any favors.
Opinion: Divide, stop punishing everyone for others’ lack of parental control
We all want better online safety for children every single time, and luckily there are already many measures to make it easier. The same applies to video games and entertainment with age ratings to limit minors’ access to said content.
But it feels like everyone is now being punished for the lack of parental controls from others, at the cost of personal information being leaked.
Discord’s Family Center exists to ensure that parents can keep tabs on their kids and their activity, and while this isn’t completely foolproof, it does seem like Discord is going the extreme route for extra child protection – but honestly, it doesn’t feel like that’s Discord’s true intentions, as it would have implemented such changes a long time ago if that was the case.
It’s also worth noting that this has essentially come straight from the UK’s new Online Safety Act, but was initially only implemented for UK users. Discord takes it a step further by enforcing this too all users all over the world when it really isn’t necessary, and I don’t blame anyone who wants to walk away from the platform forever unless they go back on that decision.
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