After weeks of confusion and backlash from users, Discord is officially putting the brakes on its global rollout of age verification. In a new blog post, the company admitted that it had “missed the mark” when explaining its plans and confirmed that the global launch has now been pushed back to the second half of 2026. The announcement follows growing concerns about facial scanning, ID checks and third-party providers taking over the verification process.
Discord says many users walked away believing the platform would require facial scans or government-issued ID from everyone, but that was never the plan. According to the company, the aim is not to collect personal identities, but to determine whether a user is an adult.
For users who require verification, Discord relies on third-party partners who only return an age group, not personal information. In addition, the system is also linked to a growing wave of online safety laws in regions such as the UK, Australia and Brazil, where platforms are legally required to verify age to access certain content.
What Discord is changing before the new rollout
Discord isn’t doing away with age verification, but it needs more time to rethink how the system works. The company plans to introduce more verification options, including credit card checks, so users can choose a method they are comfortable with. It also promises more transparency by publicly listing its verification partners and explaining how data is handled. Going forward, any facial age estimation must be done entirely on-device, meaning biometric data cannot leave the user’s phone.
The platform is also adding a “Spoiler Channel” feature to reduce the need for strict age restrictions in communities that use restricted channels for sensitive discussions rather than adult content. Discord says most users will not experience verification at all, noting that the system is only intended for people who have access to age-restricted areas or whose age cannot be automatically estimated.
Nevertheless, skepticism remains. When facial verification was first introduced, users pointed out that the process relied on Persona, which involves submitting a facial scan or ID. This concern was reinforced by last year’s report (via BleepingComputer) that a third party accessed Discord user data, including names, emails, limited billing details, and some government ID images. Still, for now, Discord will continue to meet regulatory requirements in regions where age verification is already required, delaying its broader rollout until new safeguards are in place.
