How Discord, Born From an Obscure Game, Became a Social Hub

The company’s efforts have not stopped frequent problems. People interviewed for this article, including some who were 11 or 12 years old, said they knew of many underage Discord users. And an internet search for eating disorder communities on Discord, for instance, revealed dozens of servers, some explicitly encouraging people to develop eating disorders, a violation of Discord’s community guidelines.

The company said it takes “immediate action” when it encounters violations like underage users or inappropriate content.

Many say they joined Discord for more wholesome reasons, like connecting with friends. The largest public servers, such as ones devoted to discussions of Minecraft or anime, have hundreds of thousands of members. They can be chaotic, with colorful memes, profanity and inside jokes.

Others are intended only for people who know one another in real life or share a particular interest. Some have strict rules prohibiting profanity, graphic content or discussions of politics. Server owners can deputize moderators to enforce the rules.

Clement Leveau, 21, has a powerful role on Discord: the owner of Kanye, a server hosting discussions of the eponymous artist, music, pop culture and other topics with more than 58,000 members.

Mr. Leveau, a New York City college student, wields ultimate authority, with the power to appoint moderators and imprison people who break community rules in a solitary confinement channel known as jail. He said that he tries to “let people be silly, have a place to unwind,” but that he does not tolerate hate speech or bullying. Because of the isolation caused by the pandemic, Mr. Leveau said, the bonds people have formed on Discord have become crucial.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/29/business/discord-server-social-media.html