Is Discord safe? What you need to know before you join

How Discord works and why people use it

Discord is a chat platform that was popularized by gamers but is now used by people with many different interests, from entertainment and music to education, science, and much more. Since it was founded in 2015, the platform has grown to over 200 million monthly active and 614 million overall registered users.

Discord can be accessed via a browser and an app, and works by allowing users to create and join servers, which act similarly to private online forums. Servers can be public (anyone can join) and private (require an invitation). 

Each server has channels – separate chat rooms that help organize communication within that server: 

• Text channels for sending messages and sharing images and videos
• Voice channels for live audio and video
• Forum channels for discussions
• Rules channels for server rules
• Announcement channels for messages from server administrators
• Stage channels for live broadcasts

Servers and channels are managed by server administrators, who can also create rules, manage users, and set permissions for who can see or post in each channel.

People use Discord to participate in their favorite communities – joining the servers that match their interests and connecting with others. Users can also send and accept friend requests and direct message each other without joining any specific server. 

The platform earns revenue through Nitro subscriptions, which unlock advanced features such as personalized profiles, larger file sharing, and upgraded emojis. Discord also makes money by selling server boosts and merchandise.

Can joining a Discord server be dangerous?

Joining a Discord server can be dangerous – not because of the server itself, but because of scammers who might be on it. Public servers are particularly dangerous because they’re open to anyone and easy to find via search engines and Discord’s discovery tools.

Scammers frequently join public servers to post malicious links and files or run catfishing and impersonation scams. Other bad actors target children with inappropriate content or cyberbullying. Large, unknown communities pose the greatest risk because they are very difficult to moderate and easier to abuse.

Private servers are generally safer because they’re only available via invitations, which are commonly sent to friends, family, and other trusted community members. In other words, they are more controlled. That said, you can still run into issues if bad actors are invited to a private server or rules are not enforced. 

Is Discord safe to use?

In general, Discord is safe to use due to security measures designed to protect users. They include: 

• Privacy settings: You can control who can send you messages and add you as a friend.
• Community guidelines: These outline behavioral rules and set standards for what is and isn’t allowed on the platform.
• Moderation: Discord moderation is controlled by server admins who assign user roles and permissions. They can also create custom rules and use AutoMods to automatically detect and flag content.
• Blocking and reporting: You can block and report users who violate community guidelines and Terms of Service.
• Crisis Text Line: Users can also report messages indicating self-harm or danger to be connected with support for people in crisis.

If a user commits a violation, Discord’s warning system will send them a direct message describing what action was taken. Depending on the severity of the violation, users might have their content removed, face temporary suspensions from some activities, or be permanently banned. Similarly, entire servers can be restricted or removed for violating policies.

To showcase how it enforces the rules, Discord issues transparency reports that share data on the number of accounts and servers removed and explain the types of actions taken. In 2024 alone, Discord disabled 398,714 accounts for policy violations (plus more than 35 million spam accounts) and 42,018 servers.

Some of the most common violations involve: 

• Phishing: Malicious links that download malware onto your device or lead to sites designed to steal your personal information or money.
• Impersonation and catfishing: Scammers can lie about their identities, tricking users into sharing sensitive data, photos, and videos. That information can then be used for identity theft or blackmail.
• Inappropriate content: Some people post explicit photos and videos, even in “safe for work” channels. This type of content isn’t appropriate for minors or anyone else who doesn’t want to view it.
• Bullying and harassment: Trolls can bully or harass Discord users, especially underage ones. Though Discord limits users to those aged 13 and over, there is no proper age verification process and it’s easy to bypass at sign-up.

How secure is Discord as a platform?

Discord implements measures to help keep your account secure and your personal information private:

• Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, making it difficult or impossible for hackers to intercept.
• Two-factor authentication helps prevent unauthorized logins.
• Account activity log helps you identify and review unfamiliar logins.
• Regular security patches and updates fix uncovered issues and safeguard users from emerging threats.

That said, Discord does have some concerning shortcomings in terms of data safety: 

• No end-to-end encryption, which means that Discord is able to access your text messages, voice messages, and videos (though there are plans to implement end-to-end encryption for audio and video calls)
• Messages are stored on Discord’s server, and even deleted messages may be cached for an indefinite period.
• Discord collects and maintains a significant amount of user data, including:
  • Contact information (email address and/or phone number)
  • Birthday
  • Text messages (though Discord typically doesn’t store streaming content, video calls, or voice calls)
  • Payment information for paid users’ payment processing
  • User activity (friends added, apps engaged with, games played, servers/communities joined, purchases, etc.)
  • Device information (IP address, operating system, browser, settings)
  • Engagement with Discord ads on third-party sites

In addition, Discord might retain some of your information for up to two years, depending on the circumstances.  You can view all the information Discord has about you by requesting your data package. 

All of this information is vulnerable if the platform is attacked by hackers – and Discord has experienced breaches, including one in 2023 that impacted over 700,000 users. 

How to stay safe on Discord

Ultimately, your safety depends on how you use Discord. Follow these best practices to ensure that your experience is secure and private:

Adjust privacy settings

Block direct messages from non-friends and limit friend requests to friends of friends or server members only. 

You should also adjust data privacy controls and turn off the following:

• Using data to improve Discord
• Using data to personalize my Discord experience
• Using data to alert you about in-game rewards (aka Quests)

Ignore unknown friend requests and links – and never share personal information

Do not accept friend requests from strangers, and never click links or download files unless you absolutely trust the sender. In addition, never share your personal information on Discord, even in DMs. 

Follow login best practices

Don’t use third-party logins (such as Google and Facebook) to sign up to Discord. Instead, use your phone number or email address only. A good practice is to set up an additional email account to register on non-vital platforms like Discord to minimize the risk of your primary one getting breached. Also, be sure to enable 2FA and use a strong password. 

Protect your server from raids

If you run a server, follow Discord’s tips to protect it from raids – when a group of spammers or bots attack your server all at once. 

Remove yourself from people-search sites

Scammers can find lots of your personal details on people-search sites – and use them to impersonate you, guess your Discord login, or ingratiate themselves. You can opt out manually by locating all of your exposed records or use an automatic service like Onerep that removes you from 214 people-search sites. 

How to spot suspicious activity on Discord

It’s important to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious activity. If you see it – ignore, block, and report it. Be especially wary if you encounter the following red flags: 

Suspicious messages

Messages that promise free Nitro, crypto, games, or giveaways are probably scams. Likewise, it’s better to ignore messages with too-good-to-be-true offers and those fishing out sensitive details about you, your family, and other personal aspects of your life. 

DMs from strangers

Direct messages from strangers – especially right after joining a server – are often red flags. Scammers will keep an eye out for new members, then send “welcome” messages designed to establish trust. Alternatively, they may launch a phishing or impersonation attack right away, assuming you’re not yet familiar with the server’s rules and other users. 

External links and file downloads

Watch out for external links as they could lead to malicious websites designed to steal your personal information or money. Similarly, attached files could contain malware and spyware that tracks your activity and logs your keystrokes – including passwords to your banking and social media accounts. 

Unexpected server invitations

If someone you don’t know invites you to join a server you’re not familiar with, you should probably ignore it. Scammers often use fake invites to lure people into servers that spread malicious links, scams, or inappropriate content.

Requests for login information or urgent action

Be wary of unexpected requests for login credentials or claims that something may be wrong with your account, especially if those demand that you act quickly. Such tactics are often used by scammers impersonating Discord. If in doubt, contact the platform’s support via their official channels and ask if the issue is real.

Strange behavior from Discord friends

If a Discord friend seems to be behaving strangely – for example, chatting in an atypical manner or asking for information they already have (or do not need) – it’s possible their account has been hacked. 

Poor grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and misspellings can be indicators that an account is operated by a foreign scammer – especially if they are promising an incentive in return for sharing information, clicking a link, or downloading a file. 

FAQs

Is Discord secure for kids?

Discord prohibits users under 13 years old (though that restriction is easy to circumvent). The platform does pose several risks for young users, including cyberbullying, harassment, phishing, and impersonation scams. It’s crucial to educate your children on the existing risks and how to spot red flags. 

Can Discord see my messages?

Due to a lack of end-to-end encryption, Discord can access your messages – though it’s not likely to spy on your conversations. Instead, the platform might access your messages if someone reports you to evaluate the report and take action on your account, if necessary. Note that Discord does have plans to enable end-to-end encryption for audio and video chats, which means it will not be able to see those.

Is Discord safer than other chat apps?

No, Discord is not the safest among chat apps. There are apps that collect way less user data, only store messages locally (not on cloud servers), and offer end-to-end encryption for all communications – such as Signal. 

What info does Discord collect? 

Discord collects a lot of personal information, including your email address, phone number, birthday, payment information, user activity, device information, ad engagement data, and messages sent on Discord.

Is the Discord app safe?

The Discord app is generally considered safe, though it might collect more data than the browser-based version. That’s because it requests permission to access your photos, videos, contacts, and location (though you can deny it). 

Is Discord safe from hackers?

Discord takes security measures to protect it from hackers, including encrypting data in transit and at rest. However, like any other online platform, it’s not immune to hackers – both those targeting Discord users and those targeting Discord itself or its partners. Hackers that target users can post malicious links or use social engineering to get your information. Hackers that target Discord itself or its partners could cause large data breaches. 

Is Discord private?

Discord is not fully private, as it does not use end-to-end encryption, meaning the company can access your messages, voice, and video chats if needed for moderation or legal reasons. While messages are encrypted in transit and at rest to protect against outside hackers, Discord stores them on its servers, and your activity data, device information, and usage patterns are collected to operate and improve the platform. You can adjust some privacy settings to control who can contact you and limit certain data uses, but the options are limited.