Discord follows in Roblox’s footsteps, will soon require facial scans or forms of ID for age verification for all users

All Discord users will need to verify their age via facial scan or another form of identification to bypass new safety settings starting next month, the company said.

After it “successfully launched a teen-by-default experience in the UK and Australia” last year, Discord said this setting will be enabled for all new and existing users next month. The company calls it a rollout of “enhanced teen safety features…that reinforce its long-standing commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive experience for users over the age of 13.”

“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,” said Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy at Discord. “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.”

In March, everyone will have their accounts set to “teen-by-default,” meaning that if users want to bypass content filters such as age-restricted channels, servers, or commands and select message requests, then a new layer of verification will be needed.

These methods include “video selfies for facial age estimation,” similar to what Roblox recently employed across the world in its game, and results have been spotty, with the feature incorrectly identifying age brackets for some. Discord says, “in most cases, users complete the process once, and their Discord experience adapts to their verified age group.” But if not, then more information may be needed, including scanning a form of identification like a driver’s license.

You can read all about Discord’s new safety settings on the app’s website, but if you’re 18 or older and looking to use the app as you have been, be prepared to give up some more of your information than you may be willing to in a few weeks.

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ARC Raiders could be answering the calls for one of the most-requested additions to the game since launch, and even before it, in a new limited time mode this week.

Embark Studios announced the new event today, called Shared Watch, although details are scant so far. The video the company used to tease it, though, sure sounds like players will be teaming up together, and not against each other, in the fight against ARC.

“You watch my back, I’ll watch yours – that’s how Speranza keeps ticking,” the company said. “Join your fellow Raiders in celebrating the Shared Watch; team up with strangers, turn your barrels on the machines, and earn rewards in the process.”

And that’s all there is to go on, for now, other than some potential new baseball helmet-themed gear teased in the key art. If it truly is a PvE-only experience, then many players will be thrilled to try it out. ARC Raiders players have been asking for something like this for a while, and if it’s here, it should be a big hit.

The game’s usage of an “aggression-based matchmaking” system means a PvE experience is entirely possible to foster, but this being a true co-op experience where players can team up with others to fight against the AI ARC enemies may be a fun addition to the game’s existing style.

Shared Watch is scheduled to run from Feb. 10 to 24, so it’s for a limited time for now. But, anything can change, and if the mode proves as popular as it has the potential to, then Embark may have no choice but to consider a more permanent solution.

For now, though, players can queue up when the event goes live and see what it has to offer in the early morning hours tomorrow.

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