I've tested three free Discord alternatives in a desperate attempt not to offer up my personal data just to talk to my favorite weirdos

As a UK-based PC gamer, I feel like I'm constantly dodging age verification checks. For just one particularly annoying example, X alternative BlueSky won't let me back into my Direct Messages until I've allowed the Epic Games-owned KWS to take a gander at either my bank card, my ID, or my actual face. On the principle of privacy, I've refused to do this. I thought I was being clever by relying on Discord for all of my gamer communication needs instead—oh, how foolish I was.

Discord recently...