Discord Tries To Walk Back Age Verification Panic, Says Most Users Won't Need Face Scans
- Reference: 0180769448
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/02/11/0722256/discord-tries-to-walk-back-age-verification-panic-says-most-users-wont-need-face-scans
- Source link:
The platform said it will instead rely on an internal "age prediction" model that draws on account information, device and activity data, and behavioral patterns across its communities to estimate whether someone is an adult. Users whose age the model cannot confidently determine will still need to submit a video selfie or ID.
Those not verified as adults or identified as under 18 will be placed in a "teen-appropriate" experience that blocks access to age-restricted servers and channels. The clarification came after users threatened to leave the platform and cancel Nitro subscriptions, and after a third-party vendor used by Discord for age verification suffered a data breach last year that exposed user information and a small number of uploaded ID cards.
[1] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/02/09/161215/discord-will-require-a-face-scan-or-id-for-full-access-next-month
[2] https://discord.com/safety/how-discord-is-building-safer-experiences-for-teens
goodbye discord! (Score:1)
... too complex bloatware for instant messaging wants personal information? i smell big brother, and since i am irl big brother, one is enough.
Re: goodbye discord! (Score:2)
Plus nitro. They've been mad at pushing nitro everywhere. Makes you want to vomit every time you see it.
What about the highly effective assurance? (Score:3)
Most countries that introduced age verification requirements state that verification must be "highly effective". Would this predictive profiling be enough in the court of law?
Re: (Score:2)
It's probably stuff like the age of the account. If it's 10 years old, the chance that the owner is under 13 and registered it as a toddler is quite small. If they have made purchases with a credit card, or linked a phone number to it, that sort of thing.
Replacing Discord - which is nothing other ... (Score:2)
... than yet another glorified and way overrated IRC/XChat clone like Slack or other candidates - will only take me a few minutes. As soon as they get more annoying than convenient I'm out. For all I care they might as well just go broke already, since they're still not profitable. No need to try to gain any mass by starting this uber-surveillance thing. It won't pan out anyway, so they might aswell just give up.
Same with Roblox. Why do they need selfies? (Score:2)
My daughter plays Roblox. They are asking her to take a selfie to get assigned to an age group.
[1]https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/... [roblox.com]
Seriously, they are planning to use some AI doodad to place you into a group "Your estimated age helps place you in the appropriate age group (5-8, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, and 21+) to customize your experience on Roblox". I've known people that have baby faces in their 30's, and I've seen preteens that have started showing off beard. And this is all based on some image recogniti
[1] https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/42295385001236-How-does-Roblox-estimate-my-age
Re: (Score:3)
No method (regardless how clever) and solve the root problem: A child can ask its 18 year old friend to unlock the account.
You can find ways to prove age, but there are no reasonable ways to prove the current user is the person who proved to be 18+
Probably not actually an issue (Score:2)
At least the video-thing. They stated processing locally only and nothing about storage. That means, at least in Europe, they are not legally allowed to do any storage and they must keep the data local or being in direct, non-accidental violation of the GDPR. Fines go up to 5% of annual global (!) turnover and, for repeat offenders, a prohibition to process or store any personal data.
Now, I have zero trust in their integrity or honor. But people will be looking and exfiltrating that video data or storing it
Yeah thanks ... (Score:2)
Now every user needs to think about if they behave like an underage user.
Better not login at times pupils have free time. Login early on holiday days to prove that you're not a child sleeping long at the day off. Make sure not to click like on silly memes. Join some servers that look boring to kids.
That's just another way to make users self-censor.
Discord has 2 targets on its back (Score:3)
The reality is, "know your customer" and "think of the children" causes identity theft: The effect upon criminals is minimal. Because it's moved criminal intent from an individual cheating the system, to a corporation of serfs moving illegal goods.
Discord is a target of 'child safety' spyware demanded by the governments of the world, and a target of users who realize Discord tracking them, makes them a victim.
Re: (Score:2)
Identity theft is not caused by KYC, in the same way that car theft is not caused by locked doors.
Re: Discord has 2 targets on its back (Score:2)
Poor security does lead to increased car theft, as we saw with the surge in Kia models being stolen.