As Discord begins rolling out age assurance ID checks and face scans globally, the workarounds are only getting smarter. Only last year, I used Norman Reedus’ glorious face to get around it, but one Redditor has created a 3D avatar tool you can access without having to download Death Stranding.
As posted to and then subsequently removed from the PCMR Reddit, a GitHub repository has popped up that creator PromptPirate calls a “verified tool that works on any potato computer that will let you bypass Discord verification”.
Effectively, it’s a browser-based tool that gives you access to a 3D avatar, which you can then rotate with a controller. To run it yourself, you have to download the index.html file, then open that file up in your browser, and import a model. Luckily, the Github also has a demo model you can use. From here, one could simply use a controller to move the model around to pass the age verification process.
PromptPirate has clarified that Discord might be adding a blinking test in the future, and if it does, they will add a blinking feature to continue to work around age verification checks. Even if this tool completely vanishes, it’s a sign that many simply do not want to give more of their data to Discord.
It is worth noting that most users won’t actually run into problems with the age verification process. You only need it to access adult servers or the adult sections of non-adult servers. If you typically use Discord simply to chat with friends, you likely won’t need to verify your age.
(Image credit: PromptPirate on GitHub)
However, even if you want access to adult servers (no judgment here), Discord has clarified that it ‘is not requiring everyone to complete a face scan or upload an ID’ and will ‘confirm your age group using information we already have.” Turns out Discord likely already has enough of your data to verify your age.
If, however, Discord can’t verify your age, and you want to pass it legitimately, you will need to show your ID and take a scan of your face. Discord says it does not save your identity to your account, and only uses data to verify age, but privacy worries still persist.
Even more so when you consider a security breach in October last year led to 70,000 ID photos being leaked, alongside names, usernames, emails, credit cards, and IP addresses.
If you don’t want to verify your age or use a workaround, there are always alternatives like TeamSpeak, GameVox, and *checks notes* Internet Relay Chat.
