Is it safe to use Discord?

Social networks were around in the early days of the Internet, but the concept really exploded in popularity in 2004, when Facebook launched. The emergence of smartphones further fueled the growth of social networking, with new platforms appearing constantly.

Everyone has heard of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but not everyone knows about Discord. With a few hundred million users, this is certainly a social network that deserves attention. But is Discord safe to use?

Is Discord safe?

Social networks are underrated when it comes to security and privacy. But Discord is a lot more secure and private than Facebook (for example).

Pros: Automation, Moderation, Customization

When you first sign up for Discord, you'll need to set a password and provide a valid email address. This barrier to entry, while seemingly insignificant, is very helpful when it comes to cutting down on spam. On top of that, Discord has systems in place that automatically detect and remove inappropriate content or any content that violates its guidelines.

 

As noted before, all servers enforce their own rules, but it's important to point out that moderators have access to a variety of tools that make their job easier. There are also plenty of bots that moderators and admins can use, which certainly allows them to manage their communities more effectively.

But not everything depends on community moderators and artificial intelligence. Discord also has a Trust & Safety team that specializes in issues related to harassment, bullying, cybercrime, and more. However, with millions of people using Discord, the group mainly focuses on extremist content and non-consensual pornography.

Discord also gives users a lot of control over their accounts. This means you can block people from contacting you or sending you friend requests and reporting them if you want. You can also set up two-factor authentication and enhance the privacy of your account in a few ways (to do this, go to User Settings , then navigate to Privacy & Safety ).

Cons: Bot, Phishing, Crawl

As with any platform that hosts user-generated content, on Discord you may encounter content that you don't want to see. This is inevitable and not necessarily a big deal, but it's worth noting that Discord is also popular with kids. The platform requires users to be at least 13 years old, but the actual age is not verified upon registration. This is definitely something parents should be aware of as the app does not offer parental controls.

Similarly, with such a huge user base, Discord is also a favorite haven for scammers, spammers, and cybercriminals of all kinds. In any case, you should be very careful when opening links and files on Discord, even if they appear to be perfectly legitimate. Also, watch out for bots and automated spam messages in your inbox - bad guys use Discord to spread malware, engage in phishing attempts, and scam others.

 

Then there are also data privacy concerns. Does Discord keep your data safe? According to the privacy policy, Discord records "anything you upload to the service". Discord actually revised its privacy policy in March 2023, which caused a huge uproar in the gaming world, with some people wondering if the app would record their voice and video chats. As PC Gamer reported at the time, all Discord responded with was that the platform didn't record user content "without their knowledge".

How to stay safe on Discord?

Once you learn about the potential dangers associated with Discord, it becomes much easier to figure out how to stay safe. With that said, here is a list of tips that will help you protect yourself.

1. Use and set up .
2. Review and adjust your privacy settings.
3. Be selective about the communities you join.
4. Avoid sharing personal information and other sensitive details.
5. Double check all links and files before opening them.
6. Don't accept friend requests from strangers and block people with inappropriate behavior.
7. Avoid using third-party apps and extensions, use genuine Discord products.
8. Report suspicious users to the server moderator or Discord support team.
9. Keep your Discord client and apps up to date.