Discord

What is Discord?

Discord is a communication platform built around servers — communities where people can talk via text, voice and video. Originally created for gamers, it is now used by all kinds of interest groups, from school projects to art communities. Users can join public and private servers, send direct messages, share their screen and use bots (automated tools).

Age rating: 13 (but there is no real age verification on most servers).

Why do kids like it?

• Gaming communities. Discord is the go-to platform for talking with friends while playing games. Real-time voice chat makes it indispensable for many young gamers.
• Friend groups. Many children create private servers for their friend group — like a digital clubhouse.
• Interest-based communities. Servers exist for almost everything — Minecraft, anime, music, coding, art. Children find like-minded people.
• Free. Discord costs nothing to use. That makes the barrier to entry low.

What are the real risks?

• Public servers are open to everyone. Anyone can join, and it’s hard to know who you’re talking to.
• NSFW content is possible. Some servers contain explicit content. Although it should be labelled, it isn’t always.
• DMs from server members. By default, anyone on a shared server can send DMs to your child.
• No age verification on most servers. Children can join servers intended for adults without anyone checking their age.
• Grooming risk in large public servers. Adults with bad intentions can use public servers to make contact with children and then move the conversation to DMs.
• Screen sharing. Users can share their screen in voice and video channels, which can expose children to inappropriate content.
• Bot scams. Some bots on servers may try to trick users into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information.

Settings to check

1. Who can DM: Settings → Privacy & Safety → turn off “Allow direct messages from server members”. This prevents strangers from messaging.
2. Content filter: Settings → Privacy & Safety → under “Safe Direct Messaging” choose “Keep me safe” to filter explicit images.
3. Friend requests: Settings → Privacy & Safety → limit who can send friend requests (e.g. only “Friends of Friends” or “Server Members”).
4. Activity status: Settings → Activity Status → consider turning off “Display current activity as a status message” to limit what others see.
5. Two-factor authentication: Settings → My Account → enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect the account.
6. Review servers together: Look at which servers your child has joined. Are they public or private? Who runs them?

How to talk about it

“What servers are you in on Discord? Can you tell me a bit about them?”

“There are lots of cool communities on there, but some are open to anyone. Have you ever received a message from someone you don’t know?”

“If someone you don’t know tries to move the conversation to DMs or asks for personal information — that’s a warning sign, and you can always tell me.”

Last reviewed: March 2026