Social media platform Discord announced new security features that will "reinforce its long-standing commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive experience for users over the age of 13."

In a blog post, the platform said all new and existing users will have a teen appropriate setting by default, which includes updated communication settings, content filtering and restricted access to age-gated spaces. Users may be required to verify their age in order to change these settings. Discord said users can use facial age estimation or submit a form of identification to its vendor partners.

According to Discord’s post, some of the privacy protection of its age-assurance system include:

On-device processing: Video selfies for facial age estimation never leave a user’s device.
Quick deletion: Identity documents submitted to our 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. Users may be asked to use multiple methods only when more information is needed to assign an age group.
Private status: A user’s age verification status cannot be seen by other users.

“Nowhere is our safety work more important than when it comes to teen users, which is why we are announcing these updates in time for Safer Internet Day,” said Savannah Badalich the Head of Product Policy at Discord. “Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility. We design our products with teen safety principles at the core and will continue working with safety experts, policymakers, and Discord users to support meaningful, long term wellbeing for teens on the platform.”

The new security update is expected to start in March.

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