Is discord safe for kids? Parental Review

What is Discord used for?

Discord will have 196.2 million monthly active users in 2024 and is a full grown social network for chatting. A premium version of the platform is Discord Nitro, where users can personalize their profiles through subscriptions. Prices may vary depending on what you want to include. It is popular among kids because of its friendly features. 
The question asked by parents is Discord safe for kids?

Is Discord safe for kids?

The simple answer is no; it is not 100% safe, but Discord provides various safety features such as privacy settings, content filtering, and the ability to block or report unwanted users. Discord’s safety for kids largely depends on how it’s used and the precautions taken by both parents and the platform itself. Parents can directly block messages from strangers or unknown servers. While Discord does have a minimum age requirement of 13, it’s important for parents to be aware of their child’s online activities and to discuss safe internet usage with them.

Must Read: Is Kissing a newborn safe. What can be the possible Risks?

How do I make Discord safe for kids?

It is advisable for parents to keep an eye on their children’s Discord activities, either by participating in the same servers or by periodically asking them questions about their online activities. In order to monitor your children’s activities even while you are not around, turn on some parental controls. For more details click here

Discord Parental controls

Open Discord, click>bottom right-hand corner.
You can see a lot of available options for parental controls but commonly used are highlighted in red color.

Privacy and safety >Family Center

Open Discord, Click> right-hand corner. Then, tap Privacy and Safety.

Under ‘Sensitive media. You can “Show, blur or block” Direct messages from friends
Same You can simply “Block” direct messages from other

Under DM Spam filters if you choose Filter direct messages from non-friends it will spam all messages other than friend messages.

You can also play with Server Privacy details.

You can also Block users in Account section. Discord has option to scans and delete direct messages you receive that contain unwanted or inappropriate material.

What are the servers on Discord?

An online platform called a Discord server allows users to interact in real time via text, voice, or video.There, communities may come together to discuss topics of their choice and share their common interests. It is heaven for many gaming communities where you can get cheat codes or share their gaming plans. Contrary to the name, Discord takes care of self-hosting servers; you don’t need to do that to create one. Users can join public or private servers to interact with like-minded people across the world and take part in discussions and activities based on their interests. Strangers are not allowed in private servers. They are only for your private and close community members.

Discord server ownership

The person who creates the Discord server is marked as the “owner” of the server, and they will always be able to block or authorize all permissions. Transfer ownership to another user only by its admin or owner. 
You can do this by going into Server Settings > User Management > Members.

Discord age requirement

According to Discord’s terms of service, users must be 13 years of age or older to access the site. But there are no criteria to verify the DOB of its user. To ensure COPPA compliance and to keep younger users safe, users must be at least this age to register for an account and utilize the platform’s services.
However, this can manipulate using fake dates of birth. In light of this, parents of minors should be aware of who is using Discord and why.

What are Discord student hubs?

Within Discord servers, there are areas allocated just for students called Discord Student Hubs. These are great learning places for students. Discord Student Hubs provide students with an easy and accessible means of interacting with one another outside of traditional classroom settings. They can share knowledge with each other. Each hub is only available to users with an email address connected to that school. Student Hub communities aren’t formally associated with schools and aren’t meant to be used for official school purposes.
Many schools in Canada, Brazil, Australia, France, Italy, Japan, and Germany Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the USA currently have active hubs. 

How to setup steam account for kids safely:

If you are above 13 you can simply create account by adding unique email address and country of residence. After creating account you can setup controls of your choice.

Is there any kid version of Discord or child mode of Discord available?

Unlike several programs, Discord does not have a version suitable for children until the latest update. Rather, you’ll need to change the platform’s settings to keep children safe. However, you may explore its various features, such as the Family Center and parental controls, to ensure your children’s safety. You can also explore some alternatives to Discord if you feel this platform is unsafe for kids.

What are some alternatives to discord for kids?

Discord is undoubtedly a fantastic platform, but there are a few other alternatives available. Obviously, each of them has its own restrictions.
Here are a few of the most popular ones.
Slack: A lot of the same capabilities as Discord are available in Slack. It is a platform for workplace coordination, including text, voice, and video chat. Slack’s primary userbase is businesses, but it is not restricted only to them.

TeamSpeak: Gamers use the well-known audio chat app TeamSpeak frequently. If you want to save your band, Teamspeak is good for you as compared to Discord.

Element: The Matrix protocol serves as the foundation for this app. If you’re searching for private and secure chat software, Element is an excellent option. 

Mumble: Mumble is a free and open-source voice chat program. It is very secure and provides decent audio quality. Nevertheless, Mumble lacks several of Discord’s features, like text and video chat, but it is a decent option for many users.

Skype: Skype from 2003 is the best option for many users; it offers group chats and conversations but requires a premium membership for video calls involving more than two participants.

Teams: Microsoft Teams is a platform for teamwork that includes file storage, video conferencing, chat, and app integration. Along with many other products, it is part of the Microsoft Office 365 package.

What happens if an 11-year-old or younger is on Discord?

Users must be at least 13 years old to register for an account and use Discord, according to the platform’s official page. Discord may take steps to suspend or cancel the account of anyone discovered to be using the service under the age of thirteen. As per some users Discord is not safe for kids below 10 years of age.
But since Discord doesn’t ask users to confirm their age upon registering, there is no criteria for verifying the age of its users. So we cannot say that all users are above 13. Discord forbids users under the age of 18; however, it might not be able to detect or stop all cases of underage use.

Unsafe Discord servers

Discord servers that engage in or promote fraud, phishing, or the spread of malware are considered unsafe discord servers. It’s possible that a phishing attempt will divulge personal information to you or that you will click on a URL that takes you to a page where malware is sent. The simple rule is that you should not click on unknown links. In general, unless you know the admin of the Discord server, you should refrain from joining it. Once you’ve connected, stay away from clicking on any links that direct you to pages other than Discord. That applies to both kids and adults.

What is NSFW Discord? Does Discord ban NSFW servers?

NSFW was originally created on Usenet newsgroups to describe images of a pornographic nature and was intended as a warning that the images should not be viewed in other than private venues. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation applauds Discord for taking a positive step in safeguarding all of its users and their new policies regarding “Not Safe For Work” (NSFW). According to the new standards, users over the age of 18 can choose to access more suggestive text, photographs, and videos, but individuals between the ages of 13 and 17 will not be allowed to view information on NSFW servers.

What is the risk of using Discord?

Discord users face a variety of threats, ranging from cyberbullying to harassments. As this is an open platform so many user feel it unsafe especially for their kids. According to Discord’s transparency report, in 2023, 11,885 accounts and 2,389 servers were removed for deceptive practices like spamming and cyber bullying. It was also attacked by discord hackers who mostly attack new profiles and kids. Additionally, the platform’s chat and voice features can be used for sharing anything, which can sometimes be inappropriate for some users. It’s important for parents and guardians to be aware of these potential risks and to educate teens about online safety and responsible use of social platforms.

Final recommendation? Should Discord be allowed for kids?

Indeed, kids can use it with the right supervision. Things cannot be taken away from us in this day and age, but we can manage and control them. As an example, there are Discord servers with adult themes that may not be appropriate for your child. On the platform, illegal and hazardous stuff is reportedly shared as well. We must install parental controls on Discord and all other apps that are used by children.