Why are Reddit, Discord and Roblox asking for your face
Persona, which offers identity and age verification services, is increasingly being used to conduct facial age checks and other forms of identity confirmation. The company has grown rapidly in recent years, supported by investment from Founders Fund, the venture capital firm led by technology investor Peter Thiel. Founders Fund led Persona’s $150 million Series C and $200 million Series D funding rounds.
Thiel is also a co-founder of Palantir Technologies, a data analytics company known for its work with government and defense clients. According to Open Rights Group, Palantir has previously provided analytical tools to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has partnered with the Israeli Ministry of Defense to supply data and artificial intelligence capabilities.
Persona’s technology is now embedded in several mainstream platforms. Reddit employs Persona for age verification in certain markets to comply with local regulations. Discord has begun rolling out Persona’s age verification system globally. LinkedIn offers identity verification through Persona for users with compatible passports or identity documents. Roblox has implemented facial age estimation worldwide since early 2026 as part of its safety measures.
Digital rights organisation Open Rights Group says the wider adoption of biometric checks raises questions about data privacy, transparency and user choice. The group has called for clearer safeguards, including non-biometric alternatives, limits on how facial data is stored and used, and greater transparency over who processes such information.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Spain had moved against social media giants over child protection.
