Discord Gay Teens Are at Risk of Harassment

Discord is an audio chat platform popular among gamers that allows people to chat about and play video games together online. LGBTQ youth also use Discord regularly as an online gathering place; over time it has grown into an expansive community focused on self-acceptance and social support.

But parents and children also utilize Discord servers, and some may be at risk from harm. Watchdog groups allege that predators have used these servers to lure children into engaging in sexual acts and they have asked the company to work harder at protecting young users.

This year, the company has made an extra effort to strengthen safety protocols and is working on ways to more proactively detect and remove abuse. They’re also rolling out more account controls via their Safety Center such as blocking offensive users, restricting explicit content or controlling who messages you. ConnectSafely – an internet safety nonprofit dedicated to parental guides – is helping create this guide while hosting listening sessions with National Parent Teacher Association chapters are also planned.

CNN Business spoke with several parents who did not use any of Discord’s parental controls, and many did not know they existed. Some thought these measures wouldn’t make much of an impactful difference due to audio conversations not leaving a traceable record.

Other tech platforms have experienced similar issues, with children being lured into viewing content they should not. For example, one 13-year-old was abducted across state lines and sexually assaulted after being groomed on Discord and Twitter.