The UK’s Online Safety Act, now in full effect, mandates strict age verification checks for accessing adult content online. Among the platforms impacted is Discord, which now requires users to complete facial or ID verification to unblur NSFW content or enter 18+ channels. But just one day in, users are already poking holes in the system—with gaming creativity, no less.
Users Turn to Game Characters to Beat the System
A now-viral discovery by X user DanySterkhov, later tested by others, revealed that Discord’s facial age check can be tricked using a selfie of Sam Porter Bridges—the protagonist from Death Stranding, played by Norman Reedus.
The method is simple: load up Death Stranding, open Photo Mode, snap a well-lit close-up of Sam’s face, and present it during Discord’s facial scan process on mobile. In at least one instance, this spoof successfully passed Discord’s K-id facial check, granting full access to restricted features without the need to upload a real face or ID.
One user reported successfully accessing NSFW content—purely in the name of science, of course.
What K-id Verifies, and Why People Are Wary
Discord’s new system, powered by K-id, verifies users through either a government-issued ID scan or a video selfie. This is triggered when users:
- Try to access age-restricted (18+) channels
- Attempt to unblur sensitive content
- Modify their message request or media settings involving NSFW content
According to Discord, K-id does not retain selfies or ID data after successful verification. However, concerns remain among privacy-conscious users, particularly given the requirement to provide biometric data or sensitive documents simply to use parts of a messaging platform.
Exploiting the System — A Privacy Protest or Playful Hack?
While Discord may argue the new checks enhance online safety—especially for minors—others view these early workarounds as both an act of protest and a digital loophole. They highlight a growing tension between enforcing compliance with new regulations and protecting user privacy in a world of increasing surveillance.
It’s worth emphasizing that bypassing age verification for NSFW content is against Discord’s terms of service and likely violates the intent of the Online Safety Act. The workaround is more an example of how quickly these systems can be tested—and circumvented—by tech-savvy users than it is an endorsement to follow suit.
Still, for those reluctant to give up their facial data to an automated system, a virtual Norman Reedus might just seem like the lesser of two evils.
