'I do not trust them' - top streamers left concerned by Discord age checks
Source: BBC Technology
“I Do Not Trust Them” – Top Streamers Left Concerned by Discord Age Checks
Published 2 hours ago
Laura Cress – Technology reporter
Alastair streams as Eret to millions of followers.
Alastair (known online as Eret) is one of Twitch’s most popular LGBT streamers, with more than one million followers on the platform. The US‑based British creator, who does not disclose his last name, says his Discord server hosts around 60 000 members.
“A lot of people use the online world as a place where they can talk about things that they might not feel safe talking about with people in the real world, where being queer might result in being prosecuted,” he told the BBC.
“I really do not want to send Discord my ID given their track record – I do not trust them.”
Alastair is referring to an incident last October when Discord admitted that official ID photos of roughly 70 000 users had potentially leaked after a breach at a third‑party firm that helped verify ages.
What’s happening with Discord’s age verification?
- Backlash to the announcement – Discord’s plan to roll out mandatory age checks was met with strong criticism.
- Clarification – The company later said its age‑estimation technology would mean the “vast majority” of users would not need to complete a full age check.
- Trial in the UK – Discord is testing age‑checking software from Persona, a vendor backed by an investment firm co‑founded by Peter Thiel, the head of the controversial US data firm Palantir.
Community reaction
- Search spikes – Google searches for “Discord alternatives” have surged worldwide.
- User cancellations – Some social‑media users have announced they are cancelling their Discord subscriptions. (See the discussion on Reddit: r/pcmasterrace – “Today I cancelled my longstanding Discord”).
For Alastair and other streamers who want to protect themselves and their followers, the damage appears to be already done.
“A Dangerous Precedent”
Toby, who streams as Tubbo, is a British content creator known for his Minecraft streams. He has over 5.2 million followers on Twitch and 2.7 million subscribers on YouTube.
“I just think it’s kind of a dangerous precedent for social media companies to request 3D scans of your face or official documents without there being any kind of knowledge of how that information is being protected or stored,” he told the BBC.
Despite Discord’s assurances, Toby says he would not trust his data would be kept secure if he were required to verify his age.
Katie – an American streamer who goes by Pikachulita – echoed his concerns:
“I’m unsure what guarantees Discord could give to users about protecting their information against hackers and other malicious entities.
We live in a time when it’s not too far‑fetched to believe that companies like Discord could share this data with state or federal agencies – in the US or elsewhere – for their benefit.”
Images
Image credit: Toby James Smith/Tubbo
Toby notes that there are currently no good rivals to Discord, but adds:
“If a new platform were to be widely adopted, I’d move.”
What Changes Are Coming to Discord?
Starting in March, Discord will place all new and existing users worldwide into a “teen‑by‑default” experience. The policy, already in effect for users in Australia and the UK since 2025, restricts access to sensitive content and age‑restricted servers/channels unless a user is verified as an adult.
How the New Verification Works
- Initial identification: Discord will first try to determine adult status using existing platform activity data.
- If uncertain: Users who cannot be automatically identified as adults must either:
- Complete a facial scan (processed locally on the device and never transmitted), or
- Submit a government‑issued ID (used only to confirm age and then deleted).
Official Statements
“The new default restrictions build on existing measures, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility.”
— Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy, Discord
“Moving forward, age‑verification measures that verify age without retaining unnecessary personal identity information, and are transparent about data handling, are key.”
— Dr. Peter Macaulay, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Derby (BBC)
“Trusting a firm to keep its word about how it uses sensitive data is another challenge. Companies have broken their word before, facing little to no consequences.”
— Prof. Carissa Véliz, Institute for Ethics in AI, Oxford University (BBC)
Community Reaction
- Streamer Alastair: “I just want to be able to make my content. I want to interact with my community, and know that whatever platform they’re talking on, they’re going to be safe.”
Emma Calder contributed to this report.
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