Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verification

Re:Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verif... by Quothling on Thursday February 12, 2026 @04:36PM (#46995572)

Couldn't you simply set up your own instance and link up with the wider network? I guess you would have to age verify yourself if you live in a country that requires it, but regulating that would be sort of hilarious.

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Re:Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verif... by kuschku on Thursday February 12, 2026 @07:36PM (#46997366)

Yes you can, and many have done so (including myself).

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Re:Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verif... by foresto on Thursday February 12, 2026 @05:11PM (#46995989)

Yes, you could.

Whether or not authorities with jurisdiction over you would notice your instance (homeserver) or bother you about age verification is an issue you'd have to consider for yourself.

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Re:Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verif... by codebje on Thursday February 12, 2026 @08:15PM (#46997704)

I'm more familiar with Australian legislation than others, but here at least a home server would definitely not require age verification. Kids are free to make group chats with their friends in a bunch of services.

The spirit of the law is definitely not against chatting with friends, but it is against the idea of connecting minors with strangers, so while federation is generally not codified (or, IMO, understood well by legislators) and you're probably not going to be bothered by authorities about it, I reckon sooner or later the law will come for federated networks.

(Since we all seem fine just taking some uncertified random third party's word for it that their AI face recognition definitely didn't see a thumb with a face drawn on it, maybe it'd be adequate for Matrix.org to add an "18+ user" flag to the protocol and call it a day?)

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Re:Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verif... by Bender on Thursday February 12, 2026 @04:46PM (#46995712)

Couldn't you simply set up your own instance and link up with the wider network?

I honestly have no idea. As much as they love money I am not paying my lawyers to research AI this one. I would probably wait for others to get made example of.

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Re:Welcoming Discord users amidst the challenge of Age Verif... by direwolf20 on Thursday February 12, 2026 @05:14PM (#46996024)

The problem is that "simply" is a lie.

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