Discord responded to the wave of user outrage, but did so in the spirit of: "sorry you're angry, but we're still going to do it our way."
Platform co-founder Stanislav Vishnevsky published an almost 1900-word post. In it, he acknowledges errors in communication and announces the postponement of the global implementation of age verification to the second half of 2026. The tone is repentant, but the message is direct: age verification will happen, the pause is an attempt to put out a PR fire.
The company claims that more than 90% of users will not have to send a scan of their ID. But the method is even more alarming. Discord admitted that internal systems already know how to "predict" age based on "account signals" - profile age, payment methods, and servers where the user is active.
Developers assure that algorithms do not read personal messages. But mass analysis of behavior as a "friendly alternative" to identity verification sounds to many like a choice between the plague and cholera.
Among the statements about "transparency" there is only one technical change - "spoiler" type channels, in order to use age restrictions less often. The rest are promises of reports and blogs about the operation of systems.
Experts believe that the drastic steps are related to the preparation for the initial public offering, IPO. The platform must become "sterile" for advertisers, even if it hurts the loyal community.
