Discord is testing facial recognition scanning for age verification

Discord has started requiring some users in the UK and Australia to prove their age through facial scanning in order to access sensitive content. The experiment was launched after the adoption of laws in these countries that restrict access to online platforms for minors.

Users will be prompted to confirm their age when interacting with content that has been marked as private by Discord systems, or when changing settings to allow access to sensitive data. The app will ask users to scan their face using their computer's or smartphone's webcam; alternatively, they can scan a driver's licence or other ID.

"The information provided to provide the age verification method is only used for the one-time age verification process and is not stored by Discord or our provider. For Face Scan, the solution used by our supplier runs on the device. This means that no biometric information is collected when your face is scanned. The ID scan is deleted after the scan," said a Discord spokesperson.

In Australia, a ban on social media use by teenagers under 16 is due to come into effect by the end of the year. It has been criticised because of a mechanism that requires platforms to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent such access. Critics say identity verification is a breach of privacy.

The Australian legislature is debating which platforms will be affected by the ban. YouTube, for example, has been excluded from the bill.

In the US, some states have also passed laws requiring platforms to verify the age of their users and restrict it to certain websites. As a result, in Florida, PornHub pulled the plug on its website.

Recently, a judge in Arkansas struck down a law there that required all social media users to verify their age. The court ruled that the law violated First Amendment protections because it placed broad restrictions on access to speech and affected more than just minors.

In March, Utah's governor signed a bill that requires Apple and Google to verify users' ages and restrict minors from downloading apps without parental permission. That law was also repealed the other day.

Meanwhile, TikTok has introduced more features to monitor minors. For example, if a child uses the app after 10 p.m., the service will show a notification about the need to rest and play soothing music. Meanwhile, the Time Away option will allow parents and guardians to ban children from using TikTok at certain times, as well as set a recurring schedule. The feature should ensure that a child doesn't use the app while studying.