Age verification for all.

Discord announced on Monday that it’s rolling out age verification on its platform globally starting next month, when it will automatically set all users’ accounts to a “teen-appropriate” experience unless they demonstrate that they’re adults.

Users who aren’t verified as adults will not be able to access age-restricted servers and channels, won’t be able to speak in Discord’s livestream-like “stage” channels, and will see content filters for any content Discord detects as graphic or sensitive. They will also get warning prompts for friend requests from potentially unfamiliar users, and DMs from unfamiliar users will be automatically filtered into a separate inbox.

Direct messages and servers that are not age-restricted will continue to function normally, but users won’t be able to send messages or view content in an age-restricted server until they complete the age check process, even if it’s a server they were part of before age verification rolled out. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s global head of product policy, said in an interview with The Verge that those servers will be “obfuscated” with a black screen until the user verifies they’re an adult. Users also won’t be able to join any new age-restricted servers without verifying their age.

      • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
        510·
        2 months ago

        Ok, let’s say it is. They just want to invade our privacy. Now set that aside.

        On a separate topic: What’s an alternative solution for the “there’s porn on the playground” problem that discord has? They are participants in it, they are facilitators. They shouldn’t be immune. Giving platforms a pass on things like this is pernicious. Giving platforms a pass is why Elon Musk thinks he can get away with CSAM generators.

        • spring_cedar_dust@reddthat.comEnglish
          21·
          2 months ago

          I’m sorry are we putting aside biometric infomation being aggregated across multiple platforms and assigned to browsing habits so that governments know exactly where you’re browsing at any single moment?

          Are we just putting that aside???

          If discord can’t handle it don’t blame me. I mean what even is this point???

          • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
            14·
            2 months ago

            I’m not putting it aside to dismiss the idea that it’s bad. I was doing so just for the sake of conversation. You’re really overreacting to conversation.

            This age verification stuff is an invasion of privacy, and we should have a better answer to the claims that it is the only way to put in protection on the platform side. “Parents” is not the answer to the platform’s responsibility here as a facilitator who profits from facilitating.

            Age verification systems are invasive and harm privacy AND it’s weird that we think platforms should be all ages with no serious/effective barriers. It’s weird that we just act like there is no solution, and bemoan parents.

            I was quite clear about switching the topic focus.

          • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            I don’t disagree. We need better tools for this.

            The problem is making sure these tools are not used as tools of the state for tracking.

        • Bakkoda@lemmy.worldEnglish
          21·
          2 months ago

          Boycott the platform. No one’s gonna rescue the end user anymore. There’s no more oversight. Remove yourself from the ecosystem and encourage healthier alternatives.

    • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zipEnglish
      35·
      2 months ago

      Parents should try parenting for once instead of relying on the government to (use them as a thinly veiled excuse to) implement draconian monitoring on their populace.

      • Spaniard@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        Why do that when government and corporations can do it for them? It’s going to be their kids / property anyway.

      • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
        211·
        2 months ago

        Right, it’s weird that parents let kids play on platforms that have porn on them. Something needs to be done, maybe we should go after the parents instead.

        Or is the answer just saying parents should do something and then do nothing? We need a clever solution that does not involve sharing proof of identity… any ideas? Banning adult content completely would work too.

      • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
        211·
        2 months ago

        Because Elon Musk loves mixing kids and porn.

        Edit: it’s so fucking stupid and contradictory that this comment has upvotes and my other comments in this thread don’t.

        They all say the same thing. Mixing kids and porn is weird. Discord mixes kids and porn too. Elon just enjoys it.