Though Discord’s initial release was a full six years ago in 2015, it’s become an extremely popular messaging app only over the last few years. Initially, it was geared mostly toward gamers, and while gamers are still a significant portion of its user base, people are now using discord for all sorts of things, including just connecting with new people.
If you’re interested in using Discord or letting your kids use it, you might wonder how you can stay safe. Here are five tips you can use to make sure you’re using Discord in a safe way.
1. Learn How Discord Works
First off, it’s important that you know how Discord works. On Discord, you have the ability to talk to people one-on-one in direct messages or to join servers and talk to people in a group. When you join a server, you can allow people in that server to directly message you without having to approve them as a friend, or you can make it so that you need to add them as a friend before they can directly message you.
2. Pay Attention to Built-In Security Settings
There are a huge variety of built-in security settings on Discord that allow you to stay safer. Under Privacy & Safety in the settings section, you can have Discord automatically scan direct messages to see if they contain explicit media content, decide who can add you as a friend, and allow Discord to use your data in different ways.
There are some other privacy settings accessible throughout the User Settings and App Settings sections. When you first sign up for a Discord account, it’s a good idea to go through all the settings. Not only will this let you personalize your experience, but it will also make sure you know what you can do to keep yourself safe on Discord.
3. Choose Servers Wisely
While many servers are fairly small and exclusively invite-only, larger servers are easy to join for anyone. There are even a number of websites where you can find lists of Discord servers to join. On the one hand, this is a great way to find new and interesting people who may share interests with you. However, on the other hand, the quality and safety of Discord servers can vary widely.
Every time you join a server, check to see if they have any rules, including information on how to contact moderators if something gets out of hand. It’s also important to remember that you can leave a server at any time, so if you start feeling uncomfortable with the content in a server, it’s always okay to just leave.
4. Stay Up to Date With Discord Safety Information
Discord is always changing the way it manages the safety features of the application. If you’re worried about Discord potentially not being safe enough for you to use, it’s important that you stay up to date with this safety information. Typically, Discord sends out this information using its website blog and update notes whenever it makes an update, so always read these updates to learn more.
5. Be Careful With the People You Meet
It’s possible to meet all sorts of people on Discord, and that means it’s possible to make real friends that stay with you for a lifetime. However, it’s also possible to meet people who want to hurt you. It’s not always possible to tell the difference between a real friend and someone who’s trying to hurt you until it’s too late, and that’s where PeopleFinders can help.
With PeopleFinders, you can effectively help prevent cybercrime in your life. As you get to know someone over time, it can be easy to put your trust in them, even to the extent of agreeing to meet in person or agreeing to send them money. Before you do these things, a PeopleFinders people search can help you double-check and make sure everything is safe.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Discord is about as safe or dangerous as any other social media site. While Discord is built around helping you connect with other people, which can be dangerous, that’s also basically what other messaging apps do. The safety or lack thereof is mostly about how you use it. As long as you pay attention to safety mechanics and use PeopleFinders to help you stay safe, you can use Discord to connect with people around the world.
Image Attribution: ink drop – stock.adobe.com
