The United Kingdom's Online Safety Act (“OSA”) introduces new responsibilities for online platforms to reduce safety risks and provide age-appropriate experiences for users, especially teens. In compliance with these regulations, all new and existing UK users will be assigned updated default settings. 

These defaults include automatic content filtering (which is already enabled for teens everywhere) to reduce the likelihood that teens encounter certain types of potentially harmful content, as well as different social settings. UK users who wish to access content flagged by our filters or customize those settings can do so only after verifying that they are 18 or older through our new privacy-forward age assurance experience. 

Our new privacy-forward age assurance experience is required in specific scenarios (more details below), while building on our commitment to fostering genuine connections and a positive online experience. Check out this article to learn more about why we are making these changes in the UK.

Privacy-Forward Age Assurance

Age assurance is the backbone of this new experience and is designed to respect your privacy and choice. You can choose to use facial age estimation or submit a form of identification and we plan to introduce more options in the future. This experience is powered by k-ID, our age assurance vendor.

Here's how we've built in privacy protections:

• On-device processing: Video selfies for facial age estimation never leave your device
• Quick deletion: Identity documents that go directly to k-ID are never seen by Discord. They are deleted immediately after age confirmation.
• Straightforward age assurance: In most cases, you complete the process once and your Discord experience adapts to your verified age group. You may be asked to use multiple methods only when more information is needed to assign an age group.
• Private status: Your age assurance status is only available to you and cannot be seen by others unless you choose to share it.

If you have not already confirmed your age, you will be prompted to complete an age check if you attempt to:

• Unblur media flagged by our Sensitive Content Filters or attempt to change any of the default Sensitive Content Filter settings to “Show” sensitive content.
• Turn off Message Requests (they are enabled by default to help you screen out unwanted DMs from your DM list).
• Access age-restricted channels and servers.
• Toggle on age-restricted commands setting.
• Toggle on “Allow access to NSFW servers on iOS” setting.

Default Safety Settings

All UK users will have enhanced default safety settings. Age assurance may be required when you try to change certain settings or access specific content.

Content Settings

• Sensitive Content Filters are enabled by default. The default settings for this feature will blur content flagged in DMs with friends and messages in server channels, but it will also block content flagged in DMs with strangers. What’s changed is that modifying these default content settings to “Show” will now require age assurance.

Sensitive Content Filter Settings

• Unblurring content flagged by our content filters will require age assurance.
• Attempting to enter an age-restricted (18+) channel and age-restricted servers will require age assurance.

Social Settings

• Message Requests are enabled by default to help you screen out unwanted DMs from your DM list. Turning off Message Requests will require age assurance.

Message Requests Setting in Content & Social Page

• Your Activity status by default will not be shared to large servers with 200+ members. You can update this setting at any time — age assurance is not required to do so.

Activity Status Setting in Content & Social Page

• You will be alerted before accepting a friend request from an unfamiliar user. Unfamiliar users are those you do not have any mutual friends or shared small servers (under 200 members) with. These alerts can help you make more informed decisions about new connections. These alerts cannot be turned off at this time.

Accept friend request? Alert

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do these changes apply to all UK Discord users?

A: Yes, the features and experiences described above apply to all new and existing UK accounts.

Q: When do I need to go through age assurance?

A: You must be a confirmed adult to access age-restricted content and spaces or to modify certain safety settings. The majority of Discord users don’t access age restricted content and will never need to go through a facial age estimation flow or ID verification. 

Q: Are you going to be adding more verification method options?

A: We're actively working to add more verification options before we expand age assurance globally. However, some methods may not be available in certain regions that have set legal standards for what methods are acceptable.

Q: What age assurance methods are available?

A: There are two primary methods available right now:

1. Facial Age Estimation (Video Selfie): Uses your device's camera to estimate your age group. Processing happens entirely on your device — your video selfie never leaves it, and Discord and our vendor, k-ID, never receives it. We only receive your age group.
2. ID Scan: Scan your government-issued ID and take a quick selfie to confirm it matches. Your ID and selfie is processed to confirm your age and then deleted.

Note: You may need to complete both methods if we can't confirm your age group with sufficient confidence from facial age estimation alone.

We're actively working to add more verification options before we expand age assurance globally.

For step-by-step instructions on each method, see our How to Complete Age Assurance on Discord article.

Q: What if I choose not to confirm my age?

A: If you choose not to verify, here's exactly what happens: you keep your account, your servers, your friends list, your DMs, and voice chat. The only thing that changes is you won't be able to access age-restricted content or change certain default settings designed to protect teens. Nothing else about your Discord experience changes.

Q: How do you choose the vendors you work with for age assurance?

A: We're working on documenting every verification vendor and their practices on our website, and make it clear in the product who each vendor is. We've also set a new requirement: any partner offering facial age estimation must perform it entirely on-device. If they don't meet that bar, we won't work with them.

Q: How does Discord use my age assurance data?

A: We use this information for safety purposes and to deliver age-appropriate experiences on Discord. We will not use your age assurance information to target you with ads, and we don't sell your data. You can control how we use your data.

Q: Is my personal data stored during the age assurance process?

A: No. Discord and its trusted partners do not permanently store your personal identity documents or video selfies. Identity documents that go directly to k-ID are never seen by Discord. They are deleted immediately after age confirmation. Video selfies for facial age estimation are processed entirely on-device and never stored. Your identity is never associated with your Discord account.

Q: What are you getting from my ID or facial age estimation? What personal information do you receive?

A: Discord only gets your age. That’s it. Your identity is never associated with your account.

Q: What if my age assurance fails or shows incorrect results?

A: If the age assurance process fails or shows incorrect results, retry the verification through Discord system messages by selecting "Retry". 

If you were incorrectly identified as under minimum age requirement and want to appeal, please follow instructions here to use the ID scan option to verify your date of birth.

Q: Do I need to confirm my age every time I access age-restricted content or attempt to update a default setting?

A: No. Age assurance is typically a one-time process. 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.

Q: What happens if my age is confirmed as under 18?

A: If your age is confirmed as under 18, certain default safety settings will remain in place that cannot be changed. These include sensitive content filters, message request settings and restrictions when attempting to access age-restricted channels.

Q: What happens if my age is confirmed as too young to be on Discord?

A: Your account will be suspended if you are under the minimum age requirement to be on Discord. If you believe your verified age is incorrect, you may retry the verification process using the ID scan option. 

Please follow the instructions here to use the ID scan option to verify your date of birth.

Q: Can I appeal if I believe my account was incorrectly age-restricted or banned?

A: Yes. If you believe you were incorrectly verified and want to appeal, you may try the verification process using the ID scan option. 

Please follow the instructions here to use the ID scan option to verify your date of birth.

Q: How do content safety filters work?

A: Discord’s content safety filters are part of our broader Teen Safety Assist approach. They help reduce exposure to certain categories of potentially sensitive image-based media, especially for teens.

• Mature Sexual Media Filter: Helps identify visual media that may contain sexually explicit or suggestive material involving adults
• Graphic Media Filter: Helps identify image-based media that may contain violent or potentially disturbing visual material

These filters apply only to images and videos. They do not scan messages, voice, or calls, and they are designed to support age-appropriate experiences while preserving private conversations.

Q: Are there plans to expand these changes to other regions?

A: We're still working on expanding verification options, publishing our methodology for automatic age determination, and making sure every vendor we work with meets our privacy bar before we launch globally. Our global rollout is planned for the second half of 2026 as we build this thoughtfully. In the meantime, we may also move forward in regions if age assurance is required by regulation, in line with local laws and requirements.