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Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

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Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#871

Post by StrLght »

raincole wrote: post #767

French lawmakers vote to ban social media use by under-15s ( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/27/france-social-... ) Online age verification in the United Kingdom ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_age_verification_in_the... ) Blaming Discord and switching to another centralized service won't do shit as long as voters keep falling for 'protect the kids.'

Discord isn't under pressure to implement these measures globally.

I fully agree that they shouldn't be blamed for kick-starting age verification, because governments are pushing for this all around the world. But it's simply ignorant to pretend that Discord isn't helping these governments to normalise this process with their actions. They're also signalling that businesses are willing to comply and that they have all means necessary to do this.

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#872

Post by phatfish »

EGreg wrote: post #761
tabbott wrote: post #430

I'm biased, as I lead the Zulip project. But I think this is a reasonable place for me to post some thoughts. Given current events in the USA, I can't emphasize enough how worried one should be about the fact that a few companies like Discord, Google (Gmail), and Meta have databases with access to the private conversations of hundreds of millions of people with their closest friends and family members, linked up with…

I've been building a decentralized, open source platform at https://github.com/Qbix/Platform before it was cool. I don't think it's cool even now. I mostly got hate on HN every time I posted about it LOL. I think something about "decentralized" gets some people really riled up (maybe it's the association with crypto / blockchain?) but frankly, it's the ONLY solution to extreme centralization. Someone's got to build a…

Crypto is the problem not the solution, that's why no one cares. We aren't going to pump your shit coin so you can rug pull, give up.

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#873

Post by benterris »

tabbott wrote: post #430

I'm biased, as I lead the Zulip project. But I think this is a reasonable place for me to post some thoughts. Given current events in the USA, I can't emphasize enough how worried one should be about the fact that a few companies like Discord, Google (Gmail), and Meta have databases with access to the private conversations of hundreds of millions of people with their closest friends and family members, linked up with…

Also your website (https://zulip.com) is so fast and snappy, I was surprised to see everything load instantly when clicking around. I have not tried the app yet, but seeing a static website like this is quite refreshing.

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#874

Post by sebtron »

Arkanosis wrote: post #864
jonplackett wrote: post #861

I think Apple / Google need to implement verification on the device - we already accept the device knows who we are. And then social media platforms should be able to have the device confirm the user is over 18 and that’s all they need to know.

That would either mean you can tell the device to lie (which makes it useless), or that you don't own the device you use (which makes it unacceptable).

> or that you don't own the device you use (which makes it unacceptable)

It's already like this, unless you go out of your way to install a custom Android rom, which 99.9% of people will never do.

I agree it is unacceptable.

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#876

Post by sebstefan »

zelphirkalt wrote: post #836
spragl wrote: post #810

I have mentioned this before, but age verification can be solved by hash chains. They can prove age without compromising privacy. It is crazy that the solutions Discord goes for are IDs and selfies. It definitely gives the impression that there are shady ulterior motives. Hash chains are simple. If they were adopted, Discord would clearly be in bad faith taking the steps that they do now. If you search you will find…

Even easier, just get tokens that carry no other information from ones government, and the government runs an API, that for a given token tells whether that token is valid. Can tokens be stolen? Maybe. Can your face be stolen? Today yes.

No API, they sign the tokens with the government's private key and you verify them with the government's public key

If discord needs to contact an API, then the government can associate the token with you, and you with discord, and know what you browse online. No thank you.

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#877

Post by HackerThemAll »

jonplackett wrote: post #861

I think Apple / Google need to implement verification on the device - we already accept the device knows who we are. And then social media platforms should be able to have the device confirm the user is over 18 and that’s all they need to know.

I have my Gmail account since they were on invitations, circa 2004, and Google certainly knows this. That's the ultimate proof I'm an adult :-) That information could be exposed and used by 3rd parties.

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#878

Post by jonplackett »

Arkanosis wrote: post #864
jonplackett wrote: post #861

I think Apple / Google need to implement verification on the device - we already accept the device knows who we are. And then social media platforms should be able to have the device confirm the user is over 18 and that’s all they need to know.

That would either mean you can tell the device to lie (which makes it useless), or that you don't own the device you use (which makes it unacceptable).

The thing is though - only KIDS need to not own their device. With parents overseeing it.

Why do we even need to age check adults?

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#879

Post by didntcheck »

tabbott wrote: post #430

I'm biased, as I lead the Zulip project. But I think this is a reasonable place for me to post some thoughts. Given current events in the USA, I can't emphasize enough how worried one should be about the fact that a few companies like Discord, Google (Gmail), and Meta have databases with access to the private conversations of hundreds of millions of people with their closest friends and family members, linked up with…

How well does Zulip protect users' privacy against snooping admins? I.e., does it have E2EE DMs? Unfortunately, this is a legitimate threat to be concerned about

Re: Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month

#880

Post by _bobm »

tabbott wrote: post #430

I'm biased, as I lead the Zulip project. But I think this is a reasonable place for me to post some thoughts. Given current events in the USA, I can't emphasize enough how worried one should be about the fact that a few companies like Discord, Google (Gmail), and Meta have databases with access to the private conversations of hundreds of millions of people with their closest friends and family members, linked up with…

How do you see Zulip comparing to anytype, https://anytype.io/ ?
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