Discord
Summary
Discord is more of a community with video call features than a stand-alone video call app. Initially a place for gamers to meet, chat and have fun, Discord has grown to over 100 million users and its communities now include everything from dance classes to study groups, anime, music, and more. Discord has message-board, voice, and video chat features and is available on Android and iOS, and Mac, Windows, and Linux. Users can also login through their browser. However, Discord has had problems with toxic content, human trafficking, harassment, and other online crimes, so it is important to keep your eye on what your kids do on Discord.
Breach History
Has there ever been a breach or data leak?
No known hacks or data breaches!
🎉
Privacy Checklist
Is any kind of biometric data collected (health, heart, voice, etc.)?
Are you able to delete your data / the data collected about you?
Does it use cookies, telemetry, or third-party tracking scripts?
Is the privacy policy user-friendly (easy to understand)?
Does it have parental controls?
Does it use encryption to protect your data both in-transit and at-rest?
Does it get regular software and / or firmware updates?
Does it require you to create a strong password?
Is there a system in place for managing security vulnerabilities?
Does it have a privacy policy?
How Can It Snoop?
Does it have a camera or request / require access to a camera?
Does it have a microphone or request / require access to a microphone?
Does it track your location or request / require access to location data?
Account Requirements
Does it require an email address to use?
Does it require a phone number to use?
Does it require an address (home or office) to use?
Payment Options
Are you able to use a credit card as a payment option?
Are you able to use a cryptocurrency as a payment option?
Are you able to use PayPal as a payment option?
Are you able to use cash or gift cards as a payment option?
What Could Go Wrong?
Initially, Discord didn't require a strong password to protect your account, but Discord has updated their password requirement and now requires a strong password. Discord does collect a lot of data on its users and says it can share that data with third-parties. The biggest problem with Discord is the possibility of toxic communities, harassment, and online predators. Be wary before you join.
How Does It Share Your Data?
Discord specifies that it may collect information, including its IP address and personal information. For example, Discord can collect information on your social media accounts. It can also share user data with third parties. Users are able to manage the amount of data shared through default privacy settings.
Good Things
- Discord has a bug bounty program.
- Performs multiple updates per month.
- Uses standard encryption.
Bad Things
- Online predators, harrasement, and illegal commuinties are widespread on Discord.
- Discord collects information, IP address, personal information from social media accounts and can share it with third parties.
Final Thoughts
It does not appear as though Discord has suffered a data breach. However, Discord does collect a fair amount of information on its users and share it with third parties, and private servers have been known to not be totally secure. There is little risk in your information being publicly exposed, but be aware of these risks before using the platform.