The Verdict: If you want your bot to scale beyond 100 servers, you must complete the Stripe Identity Verification. This is the non-negotiable “KYC” (Know Your Customer) firewall that separates hobbyists from the ecosystem’s trusted developers.
To maintain a secure platform, Discord delegates the heavy lifting of identity management to Stripe. This isn’t just about payments; it’s about accountability. When you submit your ID, you are proving you are a real human liable for your code, preventing bad actors from flooding the API with malicious scripts.
The Architecture of Trust
Why does a chat app need your government ID?
- Security: Prevents banned users from simply creating a new account and a new bot.
- Liability: Ensures that if a bot is used for illegal activity (doxing, scams), there is a real-world identity attached to it.
- Trust: Verified bots get the “Verified” checkmark, signaling to server admins that the code is backed by a vetted developer.
The Data Fortress: Who Sees What?
Paranoia is natural, but here are the facts regarding your sensitive data:
- The Vault: Discord does not store your raw ID photos on their general servers. The data is managed by Stripe, a financial infrastructure giant with bank-grade security.
- Access Control: Within Discord, only specialized Security and Legal personnel can access this verification status. Regular support staff or moderators cannot see your ID.
- Legal Compliance: The processing of this data is grounded in global standards, specifically GDPR (Recital 47) and CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.105(d)(2)), ensuring lawful processing for fraud prevention.
The Retention Protocol: Deletion & Re-verification
Once you are in the system, how long do you stay there?
- The “Lock-in” Period: You cannot request immediate deletion of your data while your bot is active. This prevents bad actors from verifying, doing damage, and erasing the evidence.
- The Purge: If you delete your bot, your identity data is scrubbed one year after the bot’s deletion.
- The Cycle: Verification is not “one and done.” In accordance with Stripe’s data retention policies, you must re-verify your ID every 3 years to maintain your Verified Developer status.
FAQ Vortex: Eliminating Doubt
Q: Why is a payment processor (Stripe) handling my ID?
A: Stripe is the industry standard for secure identity verification. Discord utilizes Stripe’s infrastructure to handle sensitive data compliance rather than building an internal system, minimizing the risk of data leaks.
Q: Can I verify without an ID?
A: No. To reach the “Verified” tier (100+ servers), a valid government-issued ID is mandatory.
Q: If I delete my account, is the data gone instantly?
A: No. To prevent abuse and evasion of bans, data is retained for a security period (typically one year post-bot deletion) before permanent erasure.
Zenith CTA
Verification is the badge of the elite. Don’t let privacy concerns stall your growth. Prepare your ID, complete the Stripe flow, and unlock the full potential of the Discord API.