Discord: Difference between revisions
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CopyeditorHF (talk | contribs) Punctuation convention edits, clarification of unclear sentences, comment added incoherence of stance regarding child safety and age verification. |
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===Privacy<ref name="terms-of-service3">[https://discord.com/terms/ "Discord's Terms of Service"]. April 15, 2024. ''Discord''. Retrieved January 16, 2025. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216033955/https://discord.com/terms/ Archived])</ref>=== | ===Privacy<ref name="terms-of-service3">[https://discord.com/terms/ "Discord's Terms of Service"]. April 15, 2024. ''Discord''. Retrieved January 16, 2025. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216033955/https://discord.com/terms/ Archived])</ref>=== | ||
Mentioned within the '''Discord ToS<ref name="terms-of-service3" />''' and '''Privacy Policy''':<ref name="privacy-policy3">[https://discord.com/privacy/ "Discord Privacy Policy"]. April 15, 2024. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216034021/https://discord.com/privacy/ Archived]) ''Discord''. Retrieved January 16, 2025.</ref><ref name="community-guidelines2">[https://discord.com/guidelines/ "Discord Community Guidelines"]. April 15, 2024. ''Discord''. Retrieved January 16, 2025. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260216015550/https://discord.com/guidelines Archived])</ref> | Mentioned within the '''Discord ToS<ref name="terms-of-service3" />''' and '''Privacy Policy''':<ref name="privacy-policy3">[https://discord.com/privacy/ "Discord Privacy Policy"]. April 15, 2024. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216034021/https://discord.com/privacy/ Archived]) ''Discord''. Retrieved January 16, 2025.</ref><ref name="community-guidelines2">[https://discord.com/guidelines/ "Discord Community Guidelines"]. April 15, 2024. ''Discord''. Retrieved January 16, 2025. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260216015550/https://discord.com/guidelines Archived])</ref> | ||
*Collects a variety of user data, such as contact details | *Collects a variety of user data, such as contact details; user generated messages and posts, including drafts; voice messages; payment information; server participation; device information, such as games being playing; log and event information related to use of Discord services as well as information from cookies and third party sources.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-29 |title=Privacy Policy: The information we collect |url=https://discord.com/privacy#3 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-20 |website=Discord |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128220720/https://discord.com/privacy |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref> | ||
*Claims broad rights to user-generated content. | *Claims broad rights to user-generated content. | ||
*Deleted messages are stored for undefined periods. | *Deleted messages are stored for undefined periods. | ||
*Retains personal information until deemed "no longer needed" | *Retains personal information until deemed "no longer needed." | ||
*Processes user content for "safety features and platform improvement" | *Processes user content for "safety features and platform improvement." | ||
*Shares data with related companies, vendors, and third-party service providers. | *Shares data with related companies, vendors, and third-party service providers. | ||
*Opt-out behavioral tracking across platform features for personalization. | *Opt-out behavioral tracking across platform features for personalization. | ||
*Maintains logs of IP addresses and device information for an undetermined amount of time, flags any user who has ever signed in with an EU IP address for inclusion within DSA transparency reports | *Maintains logs of IP addresses and device information for an undetermined amount of time, flags any user who has ever signed in with an EU IP address for inclusion within DSA transparency reports | ||
*Sends a web request when any UI element is clicked | *Sends a web request when any UI element is clicked and when typing | ||
In 2019, Discord started requiring phone verification. The account will be locked until a phone number is added, regardless of account age or recent activity. The account will be automatically locked if the phone number is removed.<ref>[https://archive.today/2022.10.28-141642/https://wowana.me/blog/guess-im-done-with-discord.xht guess I'm done with Discord – wowana.me]</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/2025.08.31-190346/https://cadence.moe/blog/2020-06-06-why-you-shouldnt-trust-discord Why you shouldn't trust Discord - cadence's weblog (personal blog)]</ref> | In 2019, Discord started requiring phone verification. The account will be locked until a phone number is added, regardless of account age or recent activity. The account will be automatically locked if the phone number is removed.<ref>[https://archive.today/2022.10.28-141642/https://wowana.me/blog/guess-im-done-with-discord.xht guess I'm done with Discord – wowana.me]</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/2025.08.31-190346/https://cadence.moe/blog/2020-06-06-why-you-shouldnt-trust-discord Why you shouldn't trust Discord - cadence's weblog (personal blog)]</ref> | ||
===Freedom=== | ===Freedom=== | ||
Mentioned within the '''Discord ToS<ref name="terms-of-service3" />''' and '''Privacy Policy''':<ref name="privacy-policy3" /> | Mentioned within the '''Discord ToS<ref name="terms-of-service3" />''' and '''Privacy Policy''':<ref name="privacy-policy3" /> | ||
*Mandatory [[Forced arbitration|binding arbitration]] with [[class action|class-action]] waiver for U.S. users ( | *Mandatory [[Forced arbitration|binding arbitration]] with [[class action|class-action]] waiver for U.S. users. (From 19 October 2018) | ||
*Users grant a perpetual, transferable license to their content. | *Users grant a perpetual, transferable license to their content. | ||
*Users must accept the broad terms of service, which allow for unilateral changes. | *Users must accept the broad terms of service, which allow for unilateral changes. | ||
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*No option to opt out of core data collection while using the service. | *No option to opt out of core data collection while using the service. | ||
*Content may be retained by Discord even after deletion. | *Content may be retained by Discord even after deletion by the user. | ||
*Server owners have limited recourse if their servers are banned. | *Server owners have limited recourse if their servers are banned. | ||
*Forced to use Discord's payment processing for all monetary transactions. | *Forced to use Discord's payment processing for all monetary transactions. | ||
===Transparency=== | ===Transparency=== | ||
Discord's terms of service are lengthy and complex. In October 2025, the base terms are 29 pages, with a reading level of 14th grade ( | 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><!-- the guidelines would probably say "(eulas of) despair" is "strong language" and that we should pick one that "convey[s] the relevant information without appearing combative" --> | ||
Mentioned within the '''Discord Privacy Policy'''<ref name="privacy-policy3" /> and '''Community Guidelines''':<ref name="community-guidelines2" /> | Mentioned within the '''Discord Privacy Policy'''<ref name="privacy-policy3" /> and '''Community Guidelines''':<ref name="community-guidelines2" /> | ||
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===Third-Party Customer Service Data Breach (Oct. 2025)=== | ===Third-Party Customer Service Data Breach (Oct. 2025)=== | ||
{{Main|Discord / 5CA Data Breach}} | {{Main|Discord / 5CA Data Breach}} | ||
In October 2025, Discord issued a press release announcing a "Security Incident Involving Third-Party Customer Service [5CA]", in which "the unauthorized party [...] gained access to a small number of government‑ID images (e.g., driver’s license, passport) from users who had appealed an age determination" | In October 2025, Discord issued a press release announcing a "Security Incident Involving Third-Party Customer Service [5CA]", in which "the unauthorized party [...] gained access to a small number of government‑ID images (e.g., driver’s license, passport) from users who had appealed an age determination," as well as other personal data provided to support.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-03 |title=Update on a Security Incident Involving Third-Party Customer Service |url=https://discord.com/press-releases/update-on-security-incident-involving-third-party-customer-service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251006163040/https://discord.com/press-releases/update-on-security-incident-involving-third-party-customer-service |archive-date=2025-10-06 |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=Discord}}</ref> The number of ID images accessed was approximately 70,000, and the third-party in question was later named as 5CA.<ref name=":2" /> The hackers involved in the breach have revealed that the data was accessed via Zendesk.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hunt |first=Troy |date=2025-10-04 |title=X |url=https://x.com/troyhunt/status/1974558088847102289}}</ref><!-- Any better sources? The tweet referred to by this person is not archived. --> | ||
===Announcement of Age Verification Coming in March (Feb. 2026)=== | ===Announcement of Age Verification Coming in March (Feb. 2026)<!-- Above under the incidents "Child safety concerns" (June 2023) and "FTC data collection investigation (Sept. 2024), there is implied criticism of Discord for failing to protect child safety and insufficient age verification. This age verification measure could then be seen as Discord trying to correct address these criticism. In order for this page have a coherent stance on companies responsibility regarding child safety and the use of age verification, it might be necessary to articulate (either here or linked to a separate page) why this widespread age verification is a violation of consumer privacy rights and its ineffectiveness at improving child safety. -->=== | ||
In February 2026, Discord issued a press release announcing "enhanced teen safety features rolling out globally" | In February 2026, Discord issued a press release announcing "enhanced teen safety features rolling out globally," which begins with a "rollout to new and existing users in early March," that may require users "to engage in an age-verification process to change certain settings or access sensitive content."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-09 |title=Discord Launches Teen-by-Default Settings Globally |url=https://discord.com/press-releases/discord-launches-teen-by-default-settings-globally |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209142047/https://discord.com/press-releases/discord-launches-teen-by-default-settings-globally |archive-date=2026-02-09 |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Discord}}</ref> | ||
On February 9, 2026, a [https://www.change.org/p/prevent-discord-from-implementing-id-verification Change.org petition] was created to prevent Discord from implementing the age verification globally. | On February 9, 2026, a [https://www.change.org/p/prevent-discord-from-implementing-id-verification Change.org petition] was created to prevent Discord from implementing the age verification globally. | ||