Discord is rolling out a major shift in how its platform handles teen safety: teen-appropriate settings will become the default experience for all new and existing users worldwide, with age verification required to unlock certain settings and access sensitive or age-gated spaces.

The update is set to begin as a phased global rollout in early March, and Discord says the goal is to strengthen age-appropriate protections while still preserving the privacy, community, and meaningful connection that have made the platform a go-to for gaming and interest-based groups.

Teen-by-default, globally (starting in March)

Discord says the new defaults will apply to all users, not just new signups. In practice, that means accounts will start with a more protective baseline, and verified adults will have more flexibility to adjust settings or access age-restricted content.

Discord is also introducing an age-verification (age assurance) step that may be required to:

• Change certain communication settings
• Access sensitive content
• Enter age-restricted channels, servers, or commands
• Use select message request features

“Nowhere is our safety work more important than when it comes to teen users,” said Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy at Discord, adding that the company is building on its existing safety architecture with teen safety principles at the core.

Privacy-forward age assurance: how Discord says it will work

A big part of the announcement is Discord’s attempt to thread the needle between safety and privacy.

Users will be able to choose from multiple methods, including:

• Facial age estimation (video selfie)
• Submitting identification to vendor partners

Discord also says it will implement its age inference model, a background system designed to help determine whether an account belongs to an adult without always requiring users to verify their age. Some users may be asked to use multiple methods if more information is needed to assign an age group.

Discord highlighted several privacy protections in its approach:

• On-device processing: Video selfies for facial age estimation never leave a user’s device.
• Quick deletion: Identity documents submitted to 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.
• Private status: A user’s age verification status cannot be seen by other users.

After completing a chosen method, Discord says users will receive confirmation via a direct message from Discord’s official account. A user’s assigned age group can also be viewed in My Account settings, and users can appeal by retrying the process.

Discord also notes it prompts users to age-assure only within Discord and currently does not send emails or text messages about its age assurance process or results.

What’s changing in the default safety settings

Starting in early March, Discord says it will assign new default settings designed to support age-appropriate experiences while keeping privacy front and center. Highlights include:

• Content filters: Users must be age-assured as adults to unblur sensitive content or turn the setting off.
• Age-gated spaces: Only age-assured adults can access age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands.
• Message Request Inbox: DMs from people a user may not know are routed to a separate inbox by default; only age-assured adults can modify this setting.
• Friend request alerts: People will receive warning prompts for friend requests from users they may not know.
• Stage restrictions: Only age-assured adults may speak on stage in servers.

Discord notes it previously launched a teen-by-default experience in the UK and Australia last year, and says this global rollout builds on that approach to deliver consistent protections worldwide.

Giving teens a seat at the table: Discord Teen Council

Along with the safety updates, Discord also announced recruitment for its inaugural Discord Teen Council, a teen advisory body intended to bring authentic teen perspectives into how Discord shapes their experience.

Discord says the Teen Council will consist of 10–12 teens and will help inform future product features, policies, and educational resources.

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• Who can apply: Teens ages 13–17
• Apply by: May 1, 2026

The bigger picture

Discord says these updates build on its broader safety ecosystem, including tools and resources such as Family Center, Teen Safety Assist, a Warning System, and more.

Whether you’re a parent, a teen user, or an adult who uses Discord for gaming communities and group chats, the headline is simple: the default experience is becoming more restrictive, and adult access will increasingly depend on age assurance.

Source: PRNewswire

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Smart Gaming: How Parents Can Keep Kids Safe Online

(Family Features) Playing video games can be a fun, social experience. However, online gaming also poses real risks, especially for kids. As a parent, you don’t necessarily need to be a gamer yourself to help keep your children safe when the controller is in their hands.

Consider taking proactive steps like these to create a healthy online gaming environment for kids of all ages.

Check System Privacy Settings
As a first line of defense – before your child even starts gaming – spend some time in the device or console privacy settings. Here you can turn off sharing, disable location tracking, limit microphone and camera access and restrict how other users can interact with your child’s profile. Similarly, many games and platforms include built-in privacy settings that can be tailored to your child’s age and online experience. These settings may allow you to limit who can view your child’s profile or send a friend request, message or voice chat.

Research Games
Because not all games are created equal, look up game ratings through a service such as ESRB before buying or downloading to understand the maturity level of the game and determine if it’s appropriate for your child. To take it a step further, read reviews from other parents or watch gameplay videos to see if you deem not only the content but also the social interaction acceptable.

Use Facial Age Estimation
Online platforms are increasingly looking for ways to keep users safe, and that includes added levels of verification. As part of a multilayered approach to safety, Roblox is the first online gaming platform to require age checks for users of all ages to access chat features, enabling age-appropriate communication and limiting conversations between adults and minors. These secure age checks are designed to be fast, easy and secure using Facial Age Estimation technology directly within the app.

“Our commitment to safety is rooted in delivering the highest level of protection for our users,” said Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer at Roblox. “By building proactive, age-based barriers, we can empower users to create and connect in ways that are both safe and appropriate.”

Once age-checked, users are assigned to one of six age groups: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20 or 21 and older, ensuring conversations are safe and age appropriate. Age checks are optional; however, features like chat will not be accessible unless an age check is completed. Chat is also turned off by default for children under age 9, unless a parent provides consent after an age check.

Keep Personal Information Private
It’s seldom a bad idea to be extra cautious when interacting with strangers online, even if they seem friendly enough while playing the game. Teach children what information not to share, including their full name, address, birthday, school name, phone number, email address, passwords or any photos that may contain any personal information (like a house number or school logo) in the background. Also encourage a screen name and generic avatar for added privacy.

Turn on Parental Controls
Designed to allow parents a supervisory role in their child’s online gaming experience, parental controls on many platforms include the ability to set schedules and limit playtime, restrict access to certain content or social features, require a password for purchases or set a spending limit.

Avoid Clicking Unfamiliar Links
Player profiles and in-game chats may include links to external sites, including those promising rewards or cheat codes. Because they can be used to gain access to personal information, remind your children to ask an adult before clicking any unfamiliar links while gaming so they can be verified as trustworthy.

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Employ Privacy and Security Tools
While system or console-specific settings allow parents to set content restrictions, approve downloads, manage friends lists and more, additional layers of security are sometimes necessary. Extra safeguards such as antivirus and internet security software, DNS (domain name system) filtering and two-factor authentication can also be enabled to help keep kids safe online.

For more tools to help parents make informed decisions and support their children’s gaming experience, visit corp.roblox.com/safety.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (father and daughter playing video game)

SOURCE:
Roblox

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