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The sad thing is that I think many people will en masse pony up their ID or snapshot without a second thought. I'm not sure if enough people will refuse to actu

The sad thing is that I think many people will en masse pony up their ID or snapshot without a second thought. I'm not sure if enough people will refuse to actually force Discord to back off this decision (unless their idea is to grab as much data as possible at once with the understanding that they are going to back off either way).

accrual 8mo ago
Especially if it's presented as a pop-up upon launching the app that suggests the user won't be able to talk to their friends/servers without showing ID. Carefully worded language would could spur some % of users to panic at losing years of history and immediately show ID. Folks with less privacy discernment hear "jump" and reply "how high".
- joquarky 8mo ago
  > panic at losing years of history I used to be like that. It was unsustainable and ultimately mentally unhealthy.
  - johnnyanmac 8mo ago
    Yeah. You male new friends and find new experiences. Or maybe you don't. That's the cost of freedom, I suppose.
wolvoleo 8mo ago
I have done that for stripchat which was also requiring it. Not happy with it but I'd rather use a selfie than a whole ID document which includes an image anyway. The thing is, what other option do I have?
- pavel_lishin 8mo ago
  I'll continue using Discord in teen mode, I guess. I'd rather not lose the current connections & servers I have on there, and I'm not optimistic about people migrating away, especially non-tech people.
superxpro12 8mo ago
I get the draconian side of things, but I am also tired of thousands of russian, indian, domestic-funded etc. bots flooding the zone with divisive propaganda. In theory, this seems like it would at least be a step in the direction of combating disinformation. I'm curious if there are any better ways to suppress these propaganda machines?
- joks 8mo ago
  I don't see how disallowing viewing "age-restricted" content through Discord without giving them your ID would have any impact on the spread of disinformation, outside of like, disinfo in the form or pornographic or gory images.
- JuniperMesos 8mo ago
  How do I know that this message isn't divisive propaganda posted by a bot?
  - Joker_vD 8mo ago
    Because it's not posted by a Russian/Indian account, duh!
- int_19h 8mo ago
  In practical terms, it just ensures that the only bots flooding the zone with propaganda will be the ones owned by governments in whose jurisdiction Discord is.
ntoskrnl_exe 8mo ago
I don't imagine this was a 100% their decision, it's more like a response to the epidemic of all the world's governments suddenly coming up with adult verification schemes. Discord has already required it in some countries, and it's definitely easier to get everybody to verify themselves than require it on a per-jurisdiction basis. The personal data they get is a cherry on top. Also, this is just the beginning, more social networks will require the same soon.
- pavel_lishin 8mo ago
  They don't have to comply in advance.
- StrLght 8mo ago
  I wouldn't call it a response, but rather another thing that normalises ID verification online. Now all these governments can use Discord as a reference that (1) this is possible at scale and (2) companies are willing to do this.
- bux93 8mo ago
  Seems like an unforced error to implement this before being forced to.
bsimpson 8mo ago
Sounds like when Netflix reneged on family accounts. I cancelled my account in protest, but their financials say they made money on the change (and thus all the execs are happy with it).
- johnnyanmac 8mo ago
  If it helps, it really seems like Netflix is only "making money" these days off of cutting programming and workers. It's not a sustainable way to grow and it will hit a wall soon.
  - lotsofpulp 8mo ago
    Netflix supposedly added 24M, or 8%, subscribers in 2025. https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/netflix-q4-2025-financial-earnings-subscribers-1236635615/ https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/netflix-q4-2025-financial-e...
    - gentleman11 8mo ago
      They also cancelled 25M good shows and played 800% more ads in the same time
boca_honey 8mo ago
I was planning to do that. My work chat is on Discord. I am an adult. Google and Netflix have my legal name and credit card number. I don't see how Discord having my ID is any worse.
- _79px 8mo ago
  The issue is that it's yet another platform that could leak your data? Why would you ever want to increase that chance? Also, I'm not sure you would need to give discord your ID unless you're sending porn in your work chat or something.
  - boca_honey 8mo ago
    In 30 years using the internet not once have my ID has been leaked (or my CC stolen, etc). Even if it happens now, and then 2 more times during my lifetime... the benefits of the modern internet exceed the risk of that happening. It's weird how everyone here have been giving their credit card at restaurants and show their ID at events, but DISCORD is where they draw the line, somehow.
    - jonathanstrange 8mo ago
      I'd give my ID to Discord if it was guaranteed that the leadership of Discord goes to prison in case of a data breach.
      - boca_honey 8mo ago
        Why would the leadership should go to jail when a data breach is IT's fault? If your card gets cloned, the CEO of the bank should not go to jail. I agree with paying (HUGE) fines, but you suggestion is juvenile, at best.
        int_19h 8mo ago
        > Why would the leadership should go to jail when a data breach is IT's fault So that they don't create conditions under which such breaches are inevitable in the long run.
tim333 8mo ago
I had the same thing with Reddit and let it see my face. It didn't bother me much - I don't really do anything more exciting there than this sort of hn comment. If I wanted to post controversial / illegal stuff I'd make a separate account.

accrual 8mo ago

Especially if it's presented as a pop-up upon launching the app that suggests the user won't be able to talk to their friends/servers without showing ID. Carefully worded language would could spur some % of users to panic at losing years of history and immediately show ID. Folks with less privacy discernment hear "jump" and reply "how high".

joquarky 8mo ago
> panic at losing years of history I used to be like that. It was unsustainable and ultimately mentally unhealthy.
- johnnyanmac 8mo ago
  Yeah. You male new friends and find new experiences. Or maybe you don't. That's the cost of freedom, I suppose.

wolvoleo 8mo ago

I have done that for stripchat which was also requiring it. Not happy with it but I'd rather use a selfie than a whole ID document which includes an image anyway. The thing is, what other option do I have?

pavel_lishin 8mo ago
I'll continue using Discord in teen mode, I guess. I'd rather not lose the current connections & servers I have on there, and I'm not optimistic about people migrating away, especially non-tech people.

superxpro12 8mo ago

I get the draconian side of things, but I am also tired of thousands of russian, indian, domestic-funded etc. bots flooding the zone with divisive propaganda. In theory, this seems like it would at least be a step in the direction of combating disinformation. I'm curious if there are any better ways to suppress these propaganda machines?

joks 8mo ago
I don't see how disallowing viewing "age-restricted" content through Discord without giving them your ID would have any impact on the spread of disinformation, outside of like, disinfo in the form or pornographic or gory images.
JuniperMesos 8mo ago
How do I know that this message isn't divisive propaganda posted by a bot?
- Joker_vD 8mo ago
  Because it's not posted by a Russian/Indian account, duh!
int_19h 8mo ago
In practical terms, it just ensures that the only bots flooding the zone with propaganda will be the ones owned by governments in whose jurisdiction Discord is.

ntoskrnl_exe 8mo ago

I don't imagine this was a 100% their decision, it's more like a response to the epidemic of all the world's governments suddenly coming up with adult verification schemes. Discord has already required it in some countries, and it's definitely easier to get everybody to verify themselves than require it on a per-jurisdiction basis. The personal data they get is a cherry on top. Also, this is just the beginning, more social networks will require the same soon.

pavel_lishin 8mo ago
They don't have to comply in advance.
StrLght 8mo ago
I wouldn't call it a response, but rather another thing that normalises ID verification online. Now all these governments can use Discord as a reference that (1) this is possible at scale and (2) companies are willing to do this.
bux93 8mo ago
Seems like an unforced error to implement this before being forced to.

bsimpson 8mo ago

Sounds like when Netflix reneged on family accounts. I cancelled my account in protest, but their financials say they made money on the change (and thus all the execs are happy with it).

johnnyanmac 8mo ago
If it helps, it really seems like Netflix is only "making money" these days off of cutting programming and workers. It's not a sustainable way to grow and it will hit a wall soon.
- lotsofpulp 8mo ago
  Netflix supposedly added 24M, or 8%, subscribers in 2025. https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/netflix-q4-2025-financial-earnings-subscribers-1236635615/ https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/netflix-q4-2025-financial-e...
  - gentleman11 8mo ago
    They also cancelled 25M good shows and played 800% more ads in the same time

boca_honey 8mo ago

I was planning to do that. My work chat is on Discord. I am an adult. Google and Netflix have my legal name and credit card number. I don't see how Discord having my ID is any worse.

_79px 8mo ago
The issue is that it's yet another platform that could leak your data? Why would you ever want to increase that chance? Also, I'm not sure you would need to give discord your ID unless you're sending porn in your work chat or something.
- boca_honey 8mo ago
  In 30 years using the internet not once have my ID has been leaked (or my CC stolen, etc). Even if it happens now, and then 2 more times during my lifetime... the benefits of the modern internet exceed the risk of that happening. It's weird how everyone here have been giving their credit card at restaurants and show their ID at events, but DISCORD is where they draw the line, somehow.
  - jonathanstrange 8mo ago
    I'd give my ID to Discord if it was guaranteed that the leadership of Discord goes to prison in case of a data breach.
    - boca_honey 8mo ago
      Why would the leadership should go to jail when a data breach is IT's fault? If your card gets cloned, the CEO of the bank should not go to jail. I agree with paying (HUGE) fines, but you suggestion is juvenile, at best.
      - int_19h 8mo ago
        > Why would the leadership should go to jail when a data breach is IT's fault So that they don't create conditions under which such breaches are inevitable in the long run.

tim333 8mo ago

I had the same thing with Reddit and let it see my face. It didn't bother me much - I don't really do anything more exciting there than this sort of hn comment. If I wanted to post controversial / illegal stuff I'd make a separate account.