Teen-by-default settings to roll out globally for all Discord users, enhancing age-appropriate protections while maintaining privacy, community, and meaningful connection on the platform
SAN FRANCISCO, February 9, 2026 – Discord is announcing enhanced teen safety features rolling out globally that reinforce its long-standing commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive experience for users over the age of 13. As part of this update, all new and existing users worldwide will have a teen-appropriate experience by default, with updated communication settings, restricted access to age-gated spaces, and content filtering that preserves the privacy and meaningful connections that define Discord.
Beginning with a phased global rollout to new and existing users in early March, users may be required to engage in an age-verification process to change certain settings or access sensitive content. This includes age-restricted channels, servers, or commands and select message requests.
“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.
Privacy-Forward Age Assurance
Age assurance is the foundation of this new experience and is designed to respect Discord users’ privacy and choice. Discord users can choose to use facial age estimation or submit a form of identification to its vendor partners, with more options coming in the future. Additionally, Discord will implement its age inference model, a new system that runs in the background to help determine whether an account belongs to an adult, without always requiring users to verify their age. Some users may be asked to use multiple methods if more information is needed to assign an age group.
Key privacy protections of Discord’s age-assurance approach include:
On-device processing: Video selfies for facial age estimation never leave a user’s device.
Video selfies for facial age estimation never leave a user’s device. Quick deletion : Identity documents submitted to our vendor partners are deleted quickly— in most cases, immediately after age confirmation.
... continue reading