Wed, 18 Feb 2026

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 'I do not trust them' - top streamers left concerned by Discord age checks

The platform's plan to roll out global age checks has caused concern in streaming communities.
Discord's recent announcement that it will require some users to verify their age has sparked concerns among popular LGBT streamers on Twitch and Discord. Alastair, with over 1 million followers on Twitch, worries about the potential implications for his data and online community. He cites a previous incident where official ID photos of around 70,000 users were potentially leaked due to a breach at a verification firm used by Discord. Other streamers, including Toby (Tubbo) and Katie (Pikachulita), share similar concerns. They are unsure about the security measures in place to protect user data and fear that it could be shared with government agencies or other malicious entities. Discord's age verification system will attempt to identify adult users based on their platform activity, but those who cannot be verified as adults may need to complete a facial scan or provide ID to access full platform features. Some experts argue that the backlash against Discord's new measures highlights the challenge of balancing child safety with community trust. Dr Peter Macaulay suggests that age verification measures should prioritize verifying age without retaining unnecessary personal identity information and being transparent about data handling.
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