Discord is implementing stricter age verification through a face scan and government IDs to unlock full access to the app’s features. This is primarily meant to differentiate between adult and teenager accounts for safety reasons.

Teen safety features will begin rolling out globally in early March, placing both new and existing users into a teen-appropriate experience by default unless they verify they are adults. The update introduces stricter content controls, limited access to age-gated spaces, and new communication rules designed to reduce unwanted contact while maintaining user privacy.

Age Verification Methods

Discord will require age verification to unlock adult features. Users can verify their age using facial age estimation through a video selfie processed entirely on their device or by submitting a government ID to Discord’s verification partners.

Identity documents are deleted quickly, usually immediately after age confirmation. The company is also deploying an age inference model that runs in the background to help determine whether an account belongs to an adult without always requiring manual verification. Some users may be asked to complete additional verification steps if needed.

Once verified, users receive confirmation through Discord’s official account. Age status remains private and cannot be viewed by other users. Users can also view or appeal their assigned age group through account settings.

Teen Accounts by Default

Accounts set to teen by default will have sensitive images and videos blurred unless the user verifies as an adult. Only verified adult users will be able to access age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands, speak on stage in servers, or change message request settings.

Direct messages from unfamiliar users will be moved to a separate inbox by default. Additionally, Discord will display warning prompts when users receive friend requests from accounts they may not recognize.

Previous Testings

Discord previously tested the teen by default system in the UK and Australia. The company said the global rollout builds on those results.

Savannah Badalich, Discord’s head of product policy, said the goal is to provide stronger protections for teens while allowing verified adults more flexibility. She added that teen safety remains central to Discord’s product design.

Privacy Concerns

Public reaction to the update has been mixed. Some users support stricter controls on messaging and content access for teens. Others have raised concerns about privacy and mandatory age verification.

Critics pointed to a security incident in late 2025 involving a third-party support provider, where attackers accessed age verification and support ticket data. Discord said about 70,000 users had their ID photos exposed, and the company cut off the vendor’s access and is working with law enforcement. However, some reports suggest the stolen data could be larger.

Users on social forums expressed frustration that verification photos described as temporary were still stored and later leaked, raising questions about the security of the process.

Discord is Not Alone

Discord’s update follows similar changes across the social media industry. Instagram already applies stricter content and messaging settings to teen accounts by default. Snapchat keeps teen accounts private and limits discoverability. TikTok has expanded AI-based age detection to identify underage users.

Discord is also launching a Teen Council made up of 10 to 12 users aged 13 to 17 to help Discord understand what teens want to help improve the app further.

Over the past few days, social media timelines in Pakistan were dominated by a familiar word, ‘selection’. It all began when short video clips featuring former national cricket players Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, and Saeed Ajmal began circulating online, in which they dropped hints about selection and being “in the frame” once again.

In a cricket-obsessed country, retired players speaking ambiguously about a possible return to action was enough to spark widespread speculation. Social media quickly went into a furore. Fans started asking if a comeback was on the cards. A special assignment? Or some form of symbolic inclusion? The involvement of comedian and television host Tabish Hashmi, seemingly “breaking” the news in his characteristic tone, further blurred the line between humour and credibility.

As the clips spread across platforms, interpretations multiplied and speculations grew. Some users treated the comments as light-hearted teasers, while others read them as genuine hints. What kept the conversation alive was the absence of clarity; no confirmations, no denials, and no explicit context.

The curiosity built to the point that even the Sultan of Swing, Wasim Akram, appeared intrigued.

Finally, the explanation, when it arrived, had nothing to do with cricket.

With the release of an amusing television commercial, it became clear that the entire episode had been pointing toward a marketing campaign by Pakistani telecom company, Ufone. The “selection” in question referred not to a national squad, but to the idea of choosing a personal group, a central feature of Ufone’s Super 5 package, which allows users to select four friends or family members and share mobile resources such as data, calls, and SMS within that circle.

Ufone released the commercial across its social media pages with the caption, “Asal selection tou Super 5 ki thi.” The commercial placed the earlier hints in context. Rather than competing for a place in a cricketing setup, the former players are shown jostling to be included in Tabish Hashmi’s own Super 5 group. The reveal lands with Hashmi announcing that he has “selected” all four players, not for a team, but for his Super 5 circle, allowing them to share the package’s bundled resources.

The players themselves joined in on the joke once the reveal was made. Saeed Ajmal, in a tongue-in-cheek post, wrote, “Asal science ye thi.”

https://x.com/realshoaibmalik/status/2020485673644327076?s=20

Shoaib Malik added, “Debate yeh thi ke selection ho gi ya nahi. Meri tou Super 5 mein ho gayi 😁.”

https://x.com/realshoaibmalik/status/2020485673644327076

Younis Khan echoed the humour, posting, “Main itna fit hoon ke Super 5 mein select ho gaya hoon 😌.”

https://x.com/YounisK75/status/2020486436084953164

Actor Aiza Awan also gave a shoutout to the campaign, posting: “Ufone ke paas data bohaaaaaaaattt hai…”

The campaign followed a familiar Ufone playbook. The telecom operator has previously leaned on ambiguity and humour to generate curiosity before revealing the message. A notable example was an earlier campaign featuring Babar Azam, where teaser content hinted that the cricketer’s phone had gone missing before the reveal clarified that it was prone to being “lost” simply because it carried an unusually large amount of data, an idea well captured in the now-recognisable line: “Data bohhaaat hai.”

The episode highlights how easily narratives take shape in Pakistan’s digital ecosystem, particularly when humour, sport, and nostalgia intersect. It also reflects Ufone’s long-running preference for teasing, tongue-in-cheek advertising that blurs the boundary between entertainment and promotion, often leaving audiences guessing until the very end.