Discord data breach affects at least 70,000 users

Discord has revealed a significant data breach affecting approximately 70,000 users, with sensitive information such as government ID photos potentially compromised. This breach occurred through a third-party vendor utilized by Discord for processing age-related appeals, an essential procedure for users who may be underage or who reside in regions with strict identity verification requirements. When users need to verify their age, they are required to submit a selfie alongside their government ID and Discord username to the platform’s Trust & Safety team. Discord has reached out to those impacted, informing them that their data, which may include IP addresses, could expose their general location. However, a report by 404 Media suggests that the scale of this breach might be larger than Discord has acknowledged. The hackers allege that they have extracted a staggering 1.5 terabytes of data, which could indicate the exposure of far more than just the reported 70,000 images. In response, a spokesperson from Discord dismissed these claims as inaccurate and part of an extortion scheme. This incident raises critical concerns voiced by digital rights advocates about the implications of age verification processes for online safety. Currently, age verification laws are active in nearly half of U.S. states, primarily targeting adult content websites that require users to submit sensitive information. For instance, Pornhub has preemptively blocked users from states with such laws to sidestep the enforcement of age checks. Moreover, the U.K. has implemented the Online Safety Act, mandating a wider array of platforms, including YouTube and Spotify, to verify user ages, thereby intensifying the discussion around privacy and digital safety.