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.
Although Discord has not been classified as an Age-Restricted Social Media Platform under Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Act, we have decided to apply this same experience to new and existing users in Australia starting December 9th, 2025.
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 and Australian 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 and this article for Australia.
Age assurance is only available to UK and Australian users and is a one-time process. Once completed, you won't need to verify your age again.
What this article covers:
Privacy-Forward Age Assurance
Age assurance is the backbone of this new experience for all new and existing UK and Australian users.
- Privacy-protecting process. Discord and k-ID do not permanently store personal identity documents or your video selfies. Images of your identity documents and ID match selfies are deleted directly after your age group is confirmed, and the video selfie used for facial age estimation never leaves your device.
- Verify once. After completing the age assurance process, your Discord experience is tailored to your verified age group, and you won't be prompted again.
- You can always re-verify. If you believe you’ve been incorrectly verified into the teen age group, you can attempt to re-verify.
- Visible only to you. Other users can’t see your verification status or verified age group. That information is private to you.
If you have not already verified your age group, you will be prompted to age verify if you attempt to:
- Unblur sensitive content flagged by our Sensitive Content Filter.
- Change any of the default Sensitive Content Filter settings to “Show” sensitive content that’s blurred by the Sensitive Content Filter.
- Turn off Message Requests (they are enabled by default to help you screen out unwanted DMs from your DM list).
- Access age-restricted (18+) channels.
Default Safety Settings
All new and existing UK and Australian users will have enhanced default safety settings. Age assurance may be required when you try to change certain settings or access specific content.
Content Default Settings Changes
- Like before, the Sensitive Content Filter is enabled by default to help protect you from seeing unwanted sensitive and mature content. 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 will require age assurance.
Social Default Settings Changes
- 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
- For UK users only: 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. You will receive the alert if you do not have any mutual friends or shared small servers (under 200 members) with the user who sent you the friend request. These alerts can help users make more informed decisions about new connections. These alerts cannot be turned off at this time.
Accept friend request? Alert
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is age assurance only required for UK and Australian users?
A: We have been working hard to meet our obligations under the UK Online Safety Act and how best to deliver age-appropriate experiences on Discord in light of the Australian Social Media Minimum Age Act. UK and Australian users will experience new default settings designed to create a teen-appropriate environment, while supporting positive engagement on Discord.
While these changes only apply to UK and Australian users, they build on our existing safety architecture and represent our ongoing commitment to age-appropriate experiences worldwide.
Q: Do these changes apply to all UK and Australian Discord users?
A: The features and experiences described above apply to all new and existing UK and Australian accounts.
Q: What age assurance methods are available?
A: There are two primary assurance methods available:
- Face Scan: Uses your device's camera to verify your age group
- ID Scan: Allows you to scan an identification document
Note: You may need to verify using both methods if Discord isn't fully confident in the facial age estimation alone.
Q: Is my personal data stored during the age assurance process?
A: Discord and k-ID do not permanently store personal identity documents or your video selfies. Images of your identity documents and ID match selfies are deleted directly after your age group is confirmed, and the video selfie used for facial age estimation never leaves your device.
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 verify my age every time I access age-restricted content or attempt to update a default setting?
A: No. Age assurance is a one-time process. Once your age group is confirmed, you won't need to verify again. If you are verified into the teen age group (13-17 years old), you will not be able to adjust the settings described above until you verify your age group to be at least 18 years old.
Q: What happens if I'm verified as under 18?
A: If you're verified 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 I’m verified as too young to be on Discord?
A: Your account will be banned if you are under the minimum age requirement to be on Discord.
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: Are there plans to add these changes to other regions in the world?
A: Supporting our users’ well-being is at the heart of our work here at Discord. While this update is focused on UK and Australian users, we continue to invest in features that create a more age-appropriate experience for our global community as we work with key stakeholders across the industry, as well as parents, digital wellness experts and regulators worldwide. Every region has different needs, and we’re committed to building experiences that empower users as they continue to use our platform.