Discord will begin rolling out new teen safety features globally in early March, placing all new and existing users into a teen-appropriate experience by default unless they verify they are adults. The update introduces stricter content controls, limited access to age-gated spaces, and new communication rules designed to reduce unwanted contact while keeping user privacy intact.

Under the new system, sensitive images and videos will remain blurred unless a user is age-assured as an adult. Only verified adults can access age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands, speak on stage in servers, or change message request settings. Direct messages from people a user may not know will go into a separate inbox by default, and users will see warning prompts for friend requests from unfamiliar accounts.

To unlock adult features, Discord requires age verification through one of several methods. Users can choose facial age estimation using a video selfie that is processed entirely on their device, or submit a government ID to Discord’s verification partners. Identity documents are deleted quickly, usually immediately after age confirmation. Discord is also deploying an age inference model that runs in the background to help determine whether an account belongs to an adult, without always requiring manual verification. Some users may be asked to complete multiple steps if more information is needed.

Once verified, users receive confirmation via Discord’s official account. Age status is private and cannot be seen by others, and users can view or appeal their assigned age group at any time in account settings.

Discord previously tested this “teen-by-default” approach in the UK and Australia. The company says the global rollout builds on those results. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s head of product policy, said the goal is to give teens stronger protections while allowing verified adults more flexibility, adding that teen safety remains central to Discord’s product design.

Public reaction to the change has been mixed. Some users support tighter controls around messaging and content for teens. Others are concerned about privacy and mandatory age checks. Critics note that recent security incidents show Discord has struggled to keep user data safe. A breach of a third-party support provider in late 2025 exposed government ID photos and personal information for tens of thousands of users when attackers accessed age verification and support ticket data. Discord says about 70,000 users had their ID photos exposed and that it cut off the vendor’s access and is working with law enforcement, but some reports suggest the stolen data could be much larger. Users on social forums have expressed frustration that verification photos, said to be temporary, were still stored and then leaked, raising doubts about how secure the process really is.

The update follows similar moves across the industry. Instagram already places teens into stricter content and messaging settings by default. Snapchat keeps teen accounts private and limits how they can be discovered. TikTok has expanded AI-based age detection to flag underage users. Discord is also launching a Teen Council made up of 10 to 12 users aged 13 to 17 to advise on future safety features, policies, and tools.

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Discord recently announced a significant reduction in its workforce, affecting 17% of its employees. This decision, communicated by CEO Jason Citron, reflects a broader trend in the tech industry, where rapid expansion during the pandemic years is giving way to a more cautious approach.

A total of 170 employees will be laid off across various departments

The layoffs at Discord impact 170 individuals across various departments, marking the company’s largest workforce reduction to date. This follows a smaller round of layoffs in August last year. Citron’s memo to employees, which outlines the decision, reveals a company grappling with the challenges of over-expansion. Since 2020, Discord’s workforce has grown fivefold, leading to inefficiencies and an unsustainable operational model.

Discord’s financial situation is complex. Despite having raised about $1 billion in funding and possessing over $700 million in cash reserves, the company is still striving for profitability. The surge in user growth during the pandemic has plateaued, and Discord is now refocusing its strategy to become leaner and more agile.

This situation mirrors the larger tech industry, which is also experiencing a wave of layoffs, including recent cuts at giants like Google and Amazon. These developments point to a recalibration in the tech sector, which had previously seen unchecked growth and expansion.

For the affected employees, Discord is offering considerable support, including five months of salary, continuation of benefits, outplacement services, and equity vesting. Citron’s memo emphasizes the importance of supporting those leaving and acknowledges the contributions they have made to the company.

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Microsoft brings a major September update for Xbox. This update has numerous exciting features like Variable Refresh rate (VRR), Voice Reporting, and a highly requested feature, Discord streaming.

For those unaware, Discord is a popular voice chat platform with features like streaming your game within the voice channel. Before this update, streaming on Discord was only possible on the PC platform, but Xbox users can now also enjoy the streaming services on the console. An overview of new features in this update is provided below:

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) update for Xbox Series X/S consoles

Variable Refresh Rate allows users to adjust the refresh rate of the TV or monitor according to the frame rate of the content. This new feature provides a smooth and precise gaming experience. Some users may not want this VRR enabled. They can turn this setting off by going to General > TV & display options > Video and selecting the dropdown menu to “Off.”

Streaming Games on Discord

As mentioned above, it is now possible to stream your gameplay on Xbox. To get started, users first need to link their Discord account. From there, users must join a voice channel on the Xbox console and select “Stream your game” to start streaming.

Redeem Rewards

Xbox users will now find it easier to redeem their rewards with the new Rewards tab. Users can select Profile & System by pressing the Xbox button and choose My Rewards. Alternatively, players can redeem rewards directly from this option.

Ask to join the game session

Ask to join is an option now available in Xbox where the users can ask their friends to join their game session. Your friends will receive the notification of your request to join, and they can respond to it by game invite, party invite, or a message.

Voice reporting

In July, Xbox announced a new voice reporting feature that allows players to record a 60-second video clip of an in-game voice incident that they believe violates the Xbox community Standards and submit it as evidence to the safety team for review. The full report of this feature was covered on our website. Those wanting to know about this new feature can check our Xbox’s new voice reporting story here.

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In a series of unfortunate incidents, two separate data breaches involving Discord and Discord.io have left users concerned and authorities alert. Considering it’s a widely used platform, people have been genuinely concerned regarding this platform.

The incident has sparked a discussion around Discord’s Security Practices

1. The Discord Breach: A recent notification has revealed that a data breach that occurred in March affected 180 users of the popular communication server, Discord. The compromised data included sensitive information such as driver’s license numbers. The company has reached out to the impacted users, offering credit monitoring and identity theft protection services. This follows the public acknowledgment of the breach in May.
2. The Discord.io Incident: Discord.io, a website that allowed users to make custom links for their channels, fell victim to a significant breach on August 14. The vulnerability in the website’s code allowed a third-party attacker to steal hashed passwords, billing information, and Discord IDs. The aftermath led to the temporary shutdown of the site, along with promises of a total rewrite of code and an overhaul of security practices.

These breaches are distinct and involve different entities. Discord is not affiliated with Discord.io, and the company has made this clear, stating, “We do not share any user information with Discord.io directly and we do not have access to or control of information in Discord.io’s custody.”

Here are the key takeaways:

• User Impact: While the breach affects a small number of users, the Discord.io breach’s more extensive reach is a cause for concern. Both incidents have sparked dialogues around data protection and security.
• Security Enhancements: Both the real original and Discord.io are taking measures to ensure user privacy. Discord encourages users to enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to protect their accounts.
• A Reminder of Online Vulnerability: These incidents underscore the ever-present risks in the digital landscape. Users must remain vigilant and proactive in securing their online accounts.

The situation is a stark reminder of the complexities of online data security. As both Discord and Discord.io navigate the aftermath, users and businesses alike must consider their digital responsibilities and safeguards. It’s not just a story of two breaches; it’s a lesson in digital accountability.

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Xbox users rejoice as streaming your game on Discord is finally possible. The popular voice chat platform has announced that it will soon support game streaming on Microsoft’s popular gaming consoles.

Why is this a big deal?

At the moment, Discord on Xbox only enables voice chats and the screen-sharing feature that is enjoyed on PCs was not available. This feature has been highly requested by Discord users on consoles. Since the features first dropped, it allowed users to share their screens and games on Discord servers with friends. And now, the streaming feature is finally making its way to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.

How to stream Xbox Games on Discord

As per the official blog, the Xbox users will first need to link their Xbox and Discord accounts via Discord on a smartphone or desktop. Head to ‘Settings’ and then ‘Connections, where you’ll find the option to connect the Xbox and Discord accounts. Following this process, return to Discord on Xbox and look for the option to “Stream your game” when sitting in a Discord Server or DM.

Notably, the Nitro members of Discord can also avail special benefits on the console as well. This includes 60fps streaming on 1080p resolution. Meanwhile, free members only get access to 720p resolution at 30fps. Keep in mind that streaming also takes resources, which can either impact gaming performance depending on the title you’re playing. In these situations, the resolution of the stream and its frame rate will likely drop. A good and stable internet connection is also required to get the full benefits.

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Discord is shaking up the chatbot game by partnering with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT throughout the app. This collaboration will allow for machine learning to be used in unique and practical ways, with a public experiment set to begin augmenting Clyde, the in-built bot that notifies users of errors and responds to their slash commands, with conversational capabilities. Discord expects its users to turn to Clyde for information that they would have previously Googled, like asking for the local time in a different location to decide if it’s appropriate to message someone. Admins have the option to disable the chatbot if they don’t want to use the feature on their server, and user data is not being shared with OpenAI to train its machine learning models, so privacy is still maintained. This will be one of the biggest updates to Discord in a long time.

Discord is also using OpenAI’s technology to improve its automated content moderation tool, AutoMod, which has already blocked over 45 million unwanted messages since its introduction last June. Using large language models, AutoMod can interpret and apply server rules to detect and take action against people who go against a community’s norms and expectations. For example, AutoMod can spot someone attempting to go around a server rule against self-promotion by writing their message in a different language. Early results are quite promising, and the improved AutoMod is rolling out to select servers starting today.

Discord is also introducing a new feature that everyone can benefit from, and that is Conversation Summaries. This feature will provide an overview of chats users may have missed while away from the app by creating bundles that include a title, a summary of what was said, any images shared, and a log of who participated. This feature will prove to be extremely useful to those who use discord sparingly and would appreciate a rundown of the day’s messages and happenings, especially server owners.

While ChatGPT integration is nothing new in the tech space right now, Discord believes its emphasis on bringing friends and communities together gives it a leg up on the competition. More than 30 million people use AI applications through the platform every month, and nearly 3 million servers include at least one AI integration. Machine learning has been part of the Discord experience for a while, and many machine learning projects feature links to Discord servers on GitHub, a testament to Discord being a natural place for those conversations to start. Nonetheless, Discord’s integration with ChatGPT will significantly modify how users will interact with the application in the coming days. It will be quite interesting to see how this happens.

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Good news for Discord users! The latest update from NVIDIA addresses a performance issue that was affecting graphics card memory clocks on some Nvidia GPUs. It turns out, the recent Discord update had introduced a bug that caused memory clocks to slow down by up to 200MHz on some Nvidia models, including the RTX 3080 and RTX 3060 Ti. But don’t worry, NVIDIA is already on the case and is working on a fix.

For those of you with GeForce RTX 40-series cards, you’ll be happy to know that Discord has also started rolling out an update that will enable AV1 streaming. This update appears to have caused memory clock issues for some RTX 30-series cards, but users with RTX 40-series cards haven’t reported any slowdowns.

The company has tweeted that the patch will download automatically when you log into Windows, so there’s no need to worry about downloading anything manually.

The bug that affected the RTX 3080 and RTX 3060 Ti kept GPUs from reaching their maximum memory clocks, missing by around 200Mhz. As a result, there was a slight drop in performance while playing games, which wasn’t ideal considering Discord is designed to enhance your gaming experience by allowing you to chat with friends. 

The solution to this problem is now available as an app profile update. Users don’t need to download a profile manager to export, edit and re-import profiles. Previously, they could just manually apply the update, but NVIDIA has made the process much simpler.

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Discord has just halted talks to sell itself to potential buyers, one of which included Microsoft. As per sources close to the matter, the VoIP based audio chat startup has resumed interest in a potential initial public offering.

We had previously reported on Microsoft being in talks with the startup for a potential acquisition worth over 10 billion US Dollars. Now, these talks have apparently ended without a deal, as per a WallStreetJournal report. Although, the sources also added that the deal could be rekindled again in the future. For those unaware, the American tech giant has been seeking acquisitions that would help it reach more customers recently. Just a year ago, the company was even considering purchasing the short video sharing app, TikTok, in the US, amid growing frictions between US and China.

The people familiar with the matter also added that Discord held interest from at least three companies regarding a deal. Although, the platform is performing well, so it seems that they prefer to stay independent as of right now. The startup operates from San Francisco and offers a free online VoIP audio chat and text based platform to users. This app was initially centered around gamers, but has since grown to accommodate various other users as well.

During the pandemic, the startup saw a massive growth on the platform as many users even used it to connect with their friends and family amid the lockdown. As per official notes, Discord stated that it has doubled its monthly user base last year, reaching 140 million daily users. In terms of revenue, the startup generated around 130 million US Dollars in revenue last year, which is a significant jump from 45 million US Dollars from back in 2019.

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Microsoft Corp is apparently in talks to buy Discord, the popular VoIP and messaging platform, for a deal worth more than 10 billion US Dollars, as per sources close to the matter.

According to a Reuters report, Discord has reached out to potential buyers, with Microsoft being one of the companies that might acquire it, as per the sources. Although, one persons believes that the VoIP and messaging platform would more likely to go public rather than just selling. Recently, it was also reported that the company is exploring a sale and that it was already in final talks with a company.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has declined to comment on the matter, while Discord has yet to respond to any queries either. At the moment, Discord is valued at around 7 billion US Dollars as of December last year. For those unaware, Discord is a platform that serves various purposes, like gaming and its related activities, meanwhile, it can also be used to create virtual parties and meetings as well. Thus, the move from Microsoft is likely a part of its attempt to strengthen its standing in the video game industry.

Furthermore, if the deal goes through, it would be the biggest acquisition of the Xbox maker since its acquisition of ZeniMax Media last year. This also arrives amid the boost in the gaming industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the growth of the industry thanks to people staying at home and turning to games for entertainment during the lockdown.

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