Discord is preparing to roll out a new Teen By Default program worldwide in March, introducing updated safety settings and age assurance systems for all users on the platform.
According to Discord, the update is intended to automatically give users an age-appropriate experience, with limits on sensitive content, communication tools, and access to restricted spaces unless an account is verified as belonging to an adult.
The changes will apply to both new and existing accounts through a phased rollout beginning in early March, expanding protections that were previously tested in select regions.
Teen By Default will require age checks for certain features
Under the new system, users may be asked to complete an age verification process to adjust some settings or enter age-restricted areas. This can include access to specific servers, channels, app commands, or message requests.
Discord says the foundation of the program is a new age assurance system built around multiple verification options. Users can choose facial age estimation or submit government-issued identification through vendor partners, with additional methods planned in the future.
The company is also introducing an age inference model that runs in the background to help determine whether an account likely belongs to an adult, without always requiring direct verification. Some users may be asked to complete more than one method if additional confirmation is needed.
The company outlined several privacy protections tied to the process:
- On-device processing: 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.
- Straightforward verification: In most cases, users complete the process once, and their Discord experience adapts to their verified age group. Users may be asked to use multiple methods only when more information is needed to assign an age group.
- Private status: A user’s age verification status cannot be seen by other users.
Alongside the age assurance tools, Discord is applying new default safety settings globally. Sensitive content will remain blurred unless an account is verified as adult. Access to age-gated servers, channels, and app commands will be limited to adult-verified users.
Message requests from people a user may not know will be routed into a separate inbox by default, and only adult verified users will be able to change that setting.
Warning prompts will appear when receiving friend requests from unfamiliar users, and speaking privileges on server stages will also be restricted to adult verified accounts.
Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy at Discord, said the company is timing the announcement to coincide with Safer Internet Day.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
According to Discord, the Teen By Default initiative builds on its existing safety tools, such as Ignore, Family Center, Teen Safety Assist, the Warning System, and Guardian’s Guide, as the platform prepares to extend the new defaults to users globally in March.
