Consumer Rights Wiki

Discord: Difference between revisions

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Fixed my formatting mistake. oops, this isn't markdown
move forced arbitration (its been included since release and such isnt an incident), add date source
 
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===Freedom===
===Freedom===
In order to use Discord, users must agree to the '''Discord ToS<ref name="terms-of-service3" />''' and '''Privacy Policy''', which includes agreeing to:<ref name="privacy-policy3" />
In order to use Discord, users must agree to the '''Discord ToS<ref name="terms-of-service3" />''' and '''Privacy Policy''', which includes agreeing to:<ref name="privacy-policy3" />
*Mandatory [[Forced arbitration|binding arbitration]] with [[class action|class-action]] waiver for U.S. users (From 19 October 2018)
*Granting a perpetual, transferable license to user content
*Granting a perpetual, transferable license to user content
*Broad terms of service, which allow for unilateral changes
*Broad terms of service, which allow for unilateral changes
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Additionally, server owners have limited recourse if their servers are banned, and users are required to use Discord's payment processing for all monetary transactions.<!-- "Limited recourse" is quite vague. It would be helpful to outline what recourse is possible and why this is insufficient.  -->
Additionally, server owners have limited recourse if their servers are banned, and users are required to use Discord's payment processing for all monetary transactions.<!-- "Limited recourse" is quite vague. It would be helpful to outline what recourse is possible and why this is insufficient.  -->


===Transparency===
=== Forced arbitration ===
Since release<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 Sep 2015 |title=Discord - Terms of Service |url=https://discordapp.com |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521173532/https://discordapp.com/terms#:~:text=ARBITRATION |archive-date=21 May 2017 |access-date= |website=Discord}}</ref>, Discord's [[Terms of Service|terms of service]] have mandated [[Forced arbitration|binding arbitration]] with {{Wplink|class action}} waiver for U.S. users. Users can opt out by sending an 'opt-out notice' to [email protected] within 90 days of registering their first account.'''<ref name="terms-of-service3" />'''
 
=== Transparency ===
Discord's terms of service are lengthy and complex. In October 2025, the base terms are 29 pages long, with a reading level of 14th grade (equivalent to two years of tertiary education) and an estimated reading time of 42 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calculated using readabilitychecker.com based on current discord TOS. discord.com/terms |url=https://readabilitychecker.com/url |access-date=9 Oct 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210185029/https://readabilitychecker.com/url |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref>  The 2021 version of Discord's ToS would take an estimated 275+ hours to read.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EULA of despair |url=https://www.pilotlab.org/eulas-of-despair |access-date=9 Oct 2025 |website=Penn State University Pilot Lab |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216034102/https://www.pilotlab.org/eulas-of-despair |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>
Discord's terms of service are lengthy and complex. In October 2025, the base terms are 29 pages long, with a reading level of 14th grade (equivalent to two years of tertiary education) and an estimated reading time of 42 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calculated using readabilitychecker.com based on current discord TOS. discord.com/terms |url=https://readabilitychecker.com/url |access-date=9 Oct 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210185029/https://readabilitychecker.com/url |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref>  The 2021 version of Discord's ToS would take an estimated 275+ hours to read.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EULA of despair |url=https://www.pilotlab.org/eulas-of-despair |access-date=9 Oct 2025 |website=Penn State University Pilot Lab |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216034102/https://www.pilotlab.org/eulas-of-despair |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>


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==Incidents==
==Incidents==
===Introduction of forced arbitration (''2018'')===
In October 2018, [[forced arbitration]] was added to the [[Terms of Service|terms of service]]. Users could opt out by sending an 'opt-out notice' to [email protected] within 90 days of the ToS going in effect or registering their first account.'''<ref name="terms-of-service3" />'''
===Child safety concerns (''2023'')===
===Child safety concerns (''2023'')===
An [[wikipedia:NBC News|NBC News]] investigation in June 2023 uncovered widespread child safety issues on Discord, revealing systemic problems with the platform's user protection measures.
An [[wikipedia:NBC News|NBC News]] investigation in June 2023 uncovered widespread child safety issues on Discord, revealing systemic problems with the platform's user protection measures.
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{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:Discord]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Forced arbitration]]
[[Category:Messaging clients]]
[[Category:Social media companies]]
[[Category:Companies using forced arbitration clauses]]
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Discord"