Discord is preventing specific users from viewing sensitive content unless they verify their age through face or ID scans. The new verification requirement was described as an experiment in United Kingdom and Australia due to local laws that require online platforms to have security restrictions to protect children digitally.
The new scanning requirements for faces and IDS are limited to Discord users who have not yet verified their age on the platform. The company said that it is a one-time requirement that is prompted either when individuals are exposed to nude or sexually explicit content (flagged by the platform’s sensitive media filter) or when an attempt is made to change the filter settings to display the blurred or blocked media.
A window requesting age verification will pop up when one of the two actions is performed, asking the user to grant access to the device’s camera to scan their face or upload a document of their ID via a QR code scan on their mobile device. It is likely that the process intends to adhere to new laws in the UK and Australia, attempting to stop children from accessing sensitive content on the platform. The UK Online Safety Act, which aims to protect children from harmful content and illegal activity, requires platforms hosting pornographic media to use, “robust” age-checking methods while Australia requires social media platforms to be completely banned for individuals below the age of 16.
The company has placed excessive trust in the accuracy of its face scan tool, considering some people may face a ban if the platform categorises them as looking too young. Discord said, “If the verification fails, you can either try again or contact our Trust & Safety team to request a manual review.” Users can appeal the decision and retry the process if they were verified incorrectly.
The data provided to Discord in the new age verification experiment will not be stored by the company and its vendors, irrespective of the verification method chosen. The process used for face scanning works on-device, implying that biometric information is not collected. If an ID scan is provided, it is deleted after the verification process is finished.
In the News: British soldiers are using radio waves to take down drones
