Discord
A guide for families with key information about ‘Discord’, including the age rating, key terminology, risks and instructions for enabling parental controls and safety settings.
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Discord is a free social media and chatting app that is popular with gamers, who use the platform to communicate whilst playing games. Many users enjoy chatting with and watching other gamers play and using the app to swap tips and share techniques. Chats can be either one to one or in a group or game-specific ‘server’ (community or friend groups). Popular online games, such as Fortnite have their own official Discord channels, where fans can watch each other play and talk about the game.
With over 150 million users in more than 80 countries, Discord has become a popular platform for gamers around the world to come together. Whilst Discord is mostly associated with gamers, the platform is also used by others to chat and interact on a range of other topics, ranging from fashion to sport, with thousands of channels available. Discord is available on Apple and Android devices, as well as computers.
Official age rating
The minimum age recommendation for Discord is 13, however it doesn’t have any vigorous age verification methods.
Discord updated its age rating to 17+ in the Apple App Store at the request of Apple. Apple stated that the higher age rating was necessary to reflect the use of offensive language and realistic violence contained within some games used on the platform. However, Google Play still rates the content on Discord as ‘Teen’. Despite the 17+ rating in the Apple App Store, Discords terms of service allows users to sign up to the app if they are over 13.
Find out more about age ratings in our ‘parent and carer’s guide to age ratings of apps and games’.
How children and young people use the app
Discord sells itself as “a place that makes it easy to talk every day and hang out more often”. It supports multiple forms of communication, including video calls, voice chat and text so users have numerous ways of communicating with each other. It is particularly popular with young people who use it to connect with friends and share their experiences of their favourite games. The Discord community makes gaming more interactive and social for young people, especially for those who tend to play single player games or don’t have friends to play with in person.
Key features and terminology
Potential risks
Content
It is recommended that parents and carers acknowledge the older age rating of 17+ used by the Apple App Store. Users on the platform are often discussing games that have a higher age rating than 13 and users are therefore exposed to more mature content. The app does have a ‘Keep me safe’ feature, which scans direct messages from everyone for explicit media content. However, users are easily able to disable this function. Users under 18 are also able to easily access the NSFW server by simply clicking ‘OK’ after receiving a warning message that it’s not suitable for users under 18.
If you choose to allow your child to use the Discord app, it is worth finding out which games they are discussing and explore the age rating of these games via the PEGI website. This would give a better indication of the kinds of gaming content users would be exposed to and discussing. As with other chatting apps, it is also possible your child may stumble across inappropriate content in the form of bad language within chats. By restricting who your child can access on the platform, your child is less likely to experience language or behaviour that is not suitable for their age. However, it should be acknowledged that your child may still be exposed to inappropriate content by their known contacts.
There is also a risk your child may be exposed to upsetting or confusing content on Discord’s ‘Activities’, which are app-based games. Some games, like ’Death by AI’ or ’Gartic Phone’, allow users to write in their own responses to prompts which can be made by AI or another user. User-created prompts and responses are not filtered, meaning users can include sexually explicit or violent references in their prompts and responses. It is recommended that your child only plays these with known contacts. You should also ensure that your child knows they can speak to you if they see any content that they find upsetting or confusing.
Connecting with others
Discord recommends its users should be at least 13 to use the platform, but it does not offer any robust privacy settings which allow the account to be made private. This means that any users on the platform can see another user’s profile and contact them. Within the Discord app, users can interact one-to-one or in group chats with either people they know or with strangers. If a stranger messages your child for the first time, then your child will receive a ‘Safety Alert’ that gives them practical advice on handling the situation and also makes it easy for them to quickly block or report a user. However, it is recommended that young people only chat with people they know in the offline world. This will help to limit the likelihood of being exposed to inappropriate content.
Younger users should use the ‘Privacy and safety’ settings to manage friend requests. If your child is using the app in a public server (chat space within the game), it is advised that you supervise them in order to establish the types of engagements they are involved in. Speak to your child about the risks of chatting with strangers and explain the importance of not sharing any personal or identifiable information with other users within chats. Encourage them to tell you if they have been asked personal questions or to chat privately.
Parents should note that Discord have completely changed their reporting system so that each report is investigated individually to ensure appropriate consequences for users who misuse the platform. This now means users may be able to keep using the app, albeit in a limited capacity, even after being reported. Ensure any accounts that you or your child report are also blocked to help restrict the contact your child has with users they do not know or that make them uncomfortable.
User behaviour
If your child has a Discord account, it is important for you and them to be aware of what they share and the impact this will have on their digital footprint. Have a conversation with them to help them understand what is and is not appropriate for them to share and encourage them to share with their friends only. Ensure your child knows it can be difficult to keep ownership of any content once it has been shared online, as content can easily be copied and reposted without their knowledge and can then become difficult to remove from the internet.
If a user violates Discord’s community guidelines, they will receive a warning from the Discord Warning System. The warning system tells a user when they have broken Discord’s rules, what actions Discord has taken, and how it will affect their account’s standing on Discord. There are several ‘standings’ an account can have, ranging from ‘all good’ to ‘permanent suspension’, which are based on the number and severity of their violations. An account that is permanently suspended can no longer use Discord. You should speak to your child about the importance of adhering to Discord’s community guidelines to keep their account in good standing.
Design, data and costs
Discord can be hugely popular with young people who love gaming. Like gaming itself, watching others game and chatting to them about it can be immersive and absorbing for young people, so they may need boundaries to stop them engaging in extended hours of chat.
There are several opportunities for users to make in-app purchases on Discord. Users can upgrade to a premium subscription called Nitro as well as purchasing server boosts. Speak to your child about in-app purchases and ensure they understand that real money is used to make purchases within the app. Most smart devices and computers allow users to set up in-app purchasing settings within their main settings menu. It is also important to check that the app is not linked to your bank cards or financial details.
Tips for keeping your child safe
Additional tips
Discord has developed its own designated safety centre for users to find out more about ways to keep themselves safe when using the app. The safety library specifically includes helpful resources for children and parents.
Discord has published a Teen Safety Charter with information about acceptable conduct on Discord and information on dedicated safety tools for children.
Discord has produced a guidance page dedicated to parents and carers to help them talk about online safety with their children. A ‘Parent Hub’ is also available, where parents and carers can find out more about how teens user Discord and some of the settings in place to protect younger users on the platform.
Discord has launched a ‘find a helpline’ service that allows users to access free, confidential support in their country.