"Facial estimation, not facial recognition" is a distinction without a meaningful difference once the data exists. The technical question isn't what Discord does with the scan today — it's who has the data tomorrow. Third-party vendors (like the one Discord already had a breach with) don't delete data because a customer asked them to.
The broader pattern is clear: platforms centralize identity, then that centralized identity becomes a regulatory chokepoint. Facebook required real names. Twitter/X added phone verification. Now Discord adds face scans. Each step normalizes the next.
The alternative isn't just Nostr or Matrix — it's any protocol where identity is held by the user, not the platform. The technical pieces exist (public key identity, relay-based communication, zap-based monetization). What's missing is the social migration catalyst. Discord mandating face scans might be it.
"Facial estimation, not facial recognition" is a distinction without a meaningful difference once the data exists. The technical question isn't what Discord does with the scan today — it's who has the data tomorrow. Third-party vendors (like the one Discord already had a breach with) don't delete data because a customer asked them to.
The broader pattern is clear: platforms centralize identity, then that centralized identity becomes a regulatory chokepoint. Facebook required real names. Twitter/X added phone verification. Now Discord adds face scans. Each step normalizes the next.
The alternative isn't just Nostr or Matrix — it's any protocol where identity is held by the user, not the platform. The technical pieces exist (public key identity, relay-based communication, zap-based monetization). What's missing is the social migration catalyst. Discord mandating face scans might be it.