Discord will soon require users worldwide to verify their age with a face scan or ID to access adult content, while Lyft has launched teen accounts in 200 U.S. cities, and a study from the University of Oxford found AI chatbots give inaccurate medical advice. These developments come as scientists reconstructed the face of a suspected "vampire" from Croatia and reports reveal the ongoing risks of stalkerware apps.
Discord, the online chat service with over 200 million monthly users, announced it would implement age verification globally starting in early March, according to BBC Technology. This measure, designed to place everyone into a teen-appropriate experience "by default," will require users to verify their age with a face scan or ID to access adult content. The company already uses age checks in the UK and Australia to comply with online safety laws.
Lyft, in a separate development, launched teen accounts on Monday, allowing minors as young as 13 to hail rides without an adult in 200 U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and New York, TechCrunch reported. The service, similar to Uber's teen accounts, requires a parent or guardian to create the account. Drivers must meet additional criteria and pass yearly background checks. Teens can also bring guests along with parental permission, and features like PIN verification and audio recording are included.
Meanwhile, a study from the University of Oxford found that AI chatbots provide inaccurate and inconsistent medical advice, posing potential risks to users, according to BBC Technology. Researchers found that people using AI for healthcare advice received a mix of good and bad responses, making it difficult to trust the advice. Dr. Rebecca Payne, lead medical practitioner on the study, stated it could be "dangerous" for people to ask chatbots about their symptoms. A Mental Health UK poll from November 2025 found that over one in three UK residents now use AI to support their mental health or wellbeing.
In other news, scientists reconstructed the face of a man believed to be a "vampire" from Croatia, Sky News reported. The body, discovered in a fortress in eastern Croatia, had been exhumed, beheaded, and reburied face down. The reconstruction, which can be viewed for the first time in over 400 years, was done to give a face to the remains.
Finally, TechCrunch reported on the ongoing risks of stalkerware apps. At least 27 stalkerware companies have been hacked or experienced significant data exposure since 2017. These apps, often marketed to jealous partners, allow users to remotely access victims' phones.
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