


The company has recently tried to start cleaning up its image by cracking down on pornography groups, specifically on Apple devices, but Android and desktop users can still find them. Discord can be a cesspool of pornography and exploitationīecause Discord is based around private groups, it has a seedy underbelly: groups for criminal activity, white supremacy, and child pornography are all on the platform somewhere. Though Discord can be a positive space, there are also aspects of it that should give every parent serious pause. Teens can use Discord to avoid public chat in games where unknown individuals might be demeaning others or sharing explicit content.ĭiscord's focus on interest groups also allows teens to meet others who share their interests without wading through the irrelevant posts or ads they would see on other social media platforms. For many teens, Discord has been a social lifesaver during the pandemic. It doesn't hog device resources and allows kids to communicate with their real-life friends when playing a virtual game together. There are so many chat apps out there, but the main draw to Discord is its streamlined interface. A group hosted by a local library in lieu of in-person programming during the pandemicĭespite the dangers of Discord, there are some great things about it.A group hosted by your favorite Twitch personality.Discussion groups for fans of a particular show or book.A group for friends when you play Among Us.Here are some examples of what your server list might include:

In the years since its founding, Discord has expanded beyond the gaming audience to become the communication platform of choice for many niche communities. You have to be invited to join or search out a link on the web. Instead, the app is organized around the closed groups called "servers," sometimes informally referred to as a "discord." (You might hear a YouTube personality say, "Join us on our discord.")Īnyone can create a server when they join, but there's no overall directory of servers. Unlike many social media platforms, there’s no general public area or feed on Discord. Some games also allow Discord to be overlaid directly onto the game. Users can chat with each other via text or voice, and sometimes by video. Its design is simple and slim, yet has powerful tools for customization.ĭiscord can be accessed via any web browser, but is most commonly used via a computer or phone app. It was originally designed to be used by gamers to collaborate without taking too much processing power away from the game. Discord is just a communication app that’s basically a hybrid between a chat room and Skype.
