'It’s not too far-fetched to believe that companies like Discord could share this data with state or federal agencies - in the US or elsewhere - for their benefit' — users overload yet another Discord alternative's servers as they flee ID checks

• TeamSpeak has said that new users are overloading its servers
• This comes as Discord refuses to U-turn on age verification checks
• There are concerns over how securely User ID info will be stored by Discord

Discord’s plans to verify the age of all its users aren’t going down very well, to put things mildly, as yet another Discord alternative – TeamSpeak – is reportedly having server issues caused by all the people flocking to its platform to escape age checks.

This follows recent reports that Stoat, previously known as Revolt, is also experiencing server capacity issues caused by the Discord exodus. Though these companies don’t seem frustrated by the influx of new users, as TeamSpeak is meming about the problems online.

The core issue for many users is that Discord’s age verification checks may require them to hand over an ID, and after Discord admitted that around 70,000 users’ IDs were leaked last October to hackers, people are justifiably uneasy about handing over more data.

Discord has said that you might not need to hand over an ID if you are an adult. Facial scans could also suffice, and it claims that “most” adults will be able to bypass these scans and ID checks altogether through what it calls its “age inference system,” which will judge your age based on your Discord activity, like how long you’ve had an account for and device data (though not your message content).

Still, if these checks fail, you might need to hand over your ID, and for many, any kind of check can feel invasive and potentially dangerous. Speaking to the BBC, popular LGBTQ+ content creator Eret highlighted that "A lot of people use the online world as a place where they can talk about things that they might not feel safe talking about with people in the real world, where being queer might result in being prosecuted."

Even if it isn't a full ID, if a picture and/or a full name is connected to an online profile, and then that information leaks, it could have major consequences for people in marginalized communities.

As another creator, Pikachulita, also noted, “We live in a time when it's not too far-fetched to believe that companies like Discord could share this data with state or federal agencies - in the US or elsewhere - for their benefit.” There aren’t simply fears about data being maliciously stolen, but intentionally shared by the companies that store it — and with the US Department of Homeland Security requesting information about anti-ICE accounts from social media platforms (via The New York Times, behind a paywall), you can understand where these worries might come from.

The elephant in the room for new TeamSpeak and Stoat users, however, is that these platforms may also need to impose age checks for some users.

In the UK, the government has expressed plans to expand its Online Safety Act, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying that “No social media platform should get a free pass when it comes to protecting our kids.” (via PC Gamer). It was seemingly more in relation to AI chatbots and VPNs, which the Government might also ban or restrict the usage of for young people, but would likely also extend to other platforms that are, for now, flying under the radar.

So while they're something of a safe haven from age verification for now, it's not clear how long that will last.

Though if they can convince users that their ID data will be truly private and maintain a positive track record, they might be able to avoid the situation Discord currently finds itself in. We'll have to wait and see.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And, of course, you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.