Discord, a social platform with over 200 million monthly users worldwide, is testing face scanning to verify some users’ ages in the UK and Australia. The move comes as online safety laws require platforms with adult content to have robust age verification measures in place by July.
Industry expert Matt Navarra believes this technology marks the beginning of a bigger shift towards age verification, stating “regulators want real proof” that users are above a certain age. However, campaigners argue that facial recognition checks can pose privacy issues and are ineffective.
Discord will use face scanning as an alternative to uploading a photo ID, with users given the option to either scan their face or upload a picture of their document. The company claims information used for age checks will not be stored on its servers, but rather remain on the device.
In the US, Instagram previously introduced facial analysis-based age checks in 2022, requiring users to take a selfie video to confirm their age. This technology can estimate age within one to two years based on user behavior.
While some argue that face scanning is an effective method, others believe it’s not a silver bullet solution and could pose risks to users. The UK’s Online Safety Act fines companies up to 10% of their global turnover for non-compliance.
As online platforms prepare to enhance age verification measures, experts warn that failing to comply can result in significant financial penalties. With Australia planning to implement a social media ban for under-16s this year, the push towards robust age verification is gaining momentum.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjr75wypg0vo