Fact check: What personal data does Discord store for ID verification purposes?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Discord does not store personal data for ID verification purposes ^{[1] [2]}. The company has implemented a privacy-focused approach to age verification that operates through two distinct methods:

• Face scanning verification: This process operates entirely on-device, meaning no biometric information is collected or transmitted to Discord's servers ^{[2] [3] [1]}. The face scans remain on the user's device and are not stored by Discord or its face-scan vendor ^[3].
• ID document verification: When users upload identification documents, these scans are deleted immediately upon completion of the verification process ^{[1] [2]}. The verification is described as a "one-time check" ^[2].

All sources consistently confirm that neither Discord nor its verification vendors store the personal data submitted during the age verification process ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements that emerge from the analyses:

• User skepticism and privacy concerns: Despite Discord's claims about data handling, users remain skeptical about sharing personal identification with the company, citing potential risks of data breaches and misuse ^[4]. This represents a significant trust gap between Discord's stated policies and user perceptions.
• Broader industry implications: This age verification system represents the "start of a bigger shift" in how social media platforms handle age verification ^[1], suggesting this is part of a wider trend rather than an isolated Discord policy.
• Geographic implementation: The verification system is being rolled out specifically for UK users ^[4], indicating this may be a response to regional regulatory requirements rather than a global policy change.
• Third-party vendor involvement: While Discord claims not to store data, the process involves face-scan vendors ^[3], raising questions about the data handling practices of these third parties that aren't fully addressed in the original question.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it is posed as an inquiry rather than making claims. However, there are potential areas where incomplete information could lead to misunderstanding:

• Assumption of data storage: The question implicitly assumes Discord stores personal data for verification, when the evidence shows they explicitly do not store such data ^{[1] [2]}.
• Missing transparency about user concerns: The question doesn't acknowledge the significant privacy concerns and user skepticism that exist around this verification system ^[4], which is crucial context for understanding the full picture.
• Lack of technical specificity: The question doesn't distinguish between the two different verification methods (face scanning vs. ID upload) that have different data handling approaches - one being entirely on-device and the other involving temporary server processing ^{[2] [1]}.