• The closed-source chat platform Discord announced on February 9 that it would soon require some users to verify their ages in order to access some content - although the company quickly added that the " vast majority " of users would not have to. • That reassurance has to contend with the fact that the UK and other countries are implementing increasingly strict age requirements for social media. • Discord’s age verification would be done with an AI age-judging model or with a government photo ID. • A surprising number of open-source projects use Discord for support or project communications, and some of those projects are now looking for open-source alternatives. • Mastodon, for example, has moved discussion to Zulip . • There are some alternatives out there, all with their own pros and cons, that communities may want to consider if they want to switch away from Discord.

Article Summaries:

  • Discord announced on February 9 that it will soon require age verification for certain content, though it said the “vast majority” of users would not be affected. The move comes amid stricter age‑restriction laws in the UK and other jurisdictions. Verification will use an AI‑based age‑judging model or government photo ID. The policy has prompted several open‑source projects that rely on Discord for support and communication to seek alternatives. Some, such as a Mastodon community, have already migrated discussions to Zulip, while others evaluate options that balance privacy, moderation, and feature sets.
  • The closed-source chat platform Discord announced on February 9 that it would soon require some users to verify their ages in order to access some content - although the company quickly added that the " vast majority " of users would not have to. That reassurance has to contend with the fact that the UK and other countries are implementing increasingly strict age requirements for social media. Discord’s age verification would be done with an AI age-judging model or with a government photo ID. A surprising number of open-source projects use Discord for support or project communications, and som

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