Discord plans to roll out age verification next month, placing all users into a teen-appropriate experience by default unless they verify they are adults, the company said in an official release.

The change is part of Discord’s broader push to improve platform’s safety and comply with increasing regulatory scrutiny around youth protection online. Users who verify their age will retain access to the platform’s full features, while unverified users will face content restrictions designed for younger audiences.

Nowhere is our safety work more important than when it comes to teen users, which is why we are announcing these updates in time for Safer Internet Day. Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility. 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.

Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy at Discord explained.

As governments worldwide move toward stricter digital safety laws, platforms like Discord are under pressure to demonstrate stronger safeguards for minors. The update reflects a growing industry shift toward age-gated experiences and identity checks, particularly for social and communication platforms with large teen user bases.

Material by Yana Petrova

Image: Discord