Fact check: Is discord checking IDs

1. Summary of the results

Yes, Discord is checking IDs as part of a new age verification system currently being tested in the UK and Australia ^{[1] [2]}. The platform requires users to prove their age to access material Discord considers harmful through either ID card scanning or facial recognition scans ^[2]. This is a one-time verification process that takes just a few minutes to complete ^[3].

Discord has implemented this system to comply with local laws requiring online platforms to safeguard children, specifically responding to the UK's Online Safety Act which mandates 'robust' age verification for platforms hosting adult content ^{[1] [4]}. According to Discord's official guidance, the platform does not permanently store personal identity documents or video selfies used in the verification process ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual details:

• Geographic limitations: The ID checking is currently limited to an experimental rollout in only the UK and Australia, not a global implementation ^[1]
• Privacy concerns: The introduction has been met with significant criticism and privacy concerns, with users expressing reluctance to share their ID and facial likeness with the platform ^[5]
• System vulnerabilities: The age verification system has proven to be easily bypassed using a photo of Sam Porter from the video game Death Stranding, raising serious questions about the system's effectiveness in preventing minors from accessing adult content ^[6]
• Broader implications: Privacy campaigners view this as the "start of a bigger shift" toward more invasive age verification across digital platforms, with concerns about both effectiveness and privacy implications ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question is factually neutral and doesn't contain misinformation, but it lacks specificity that could lead to misunderstanding. The question implies a universal policy when the reality is more nuanced - this is currently a limited experimental program affecting only users in two countries ^[1].

The question also doesn't acknowledge the significant controversy and technical flaws surrounding the implementation, which are crucial for understanding the full context of Discord's age verification efforts ^{[5] [6]}.