Apps

Discord

Very high risk

A chat platform centered on servers, gaming communities, voice channels, and direct messages that are hard for parents to see.

Start here — 3 things to do today

  1. 1

    Review every server together

    Open the server list and leave anything your child cannot explain or that you cannot inspect clearly: left-click server → Leave Server.

  2. 2

    Turn off DMs from server members

    User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Allow direct messages from server members → OFF.

  3. 3

    Limit friend requests

    User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Friend Requests and uncheck Everyone so strangers cannot add them easily.

What parents worry about most

Discord has no platform-wide moderation of server content. The safety of any server depends almost entirely on its administrators, and there is no reliable way to verify who your child is speaking to in voice chat.

The one thing to do right now

Reviewing the full server list matters more than any single setting. One harmful server can outweigh every privacy toggle you enable.

Risk level

LowMediumHighCritical

Age rating

13+ official

Users

Large gaming and community audience

Platform

iOS, Android, PC, Console

Age recommendation

Not recommended under 16 without direct supervision

Gaming communities

Primary use

On by default

Direct DMs

None

Server age verification

Inconsistent

Moderation

Warning signs

Warning signs to know

Direct messages from strangers

Critical

Children in shared servers can receive private messages from adults or older teens they have never met.

Adult or extremist communities

Critical

Many servers have no age checks and can host explicit content, hate speech, or harmful communities in plain view.

Grooming in game-related servers

Critical

Adults can use shared gaming interests to build trust slowly and move conversations into DMs or voice chat.

File sharing creates malware risk

High

Children can be sent suspicious files, cracked games, or illegal content directly inside chats and servers.

Voice chat is unlogged and hard to monitor

High

Live voice channels create contact risk without a clear record for a parent to review afterward.

Step-by-step guide

Complete step-by-step guide

  1. 1

    Review every server together

    Open the server list and leave anything your child cannot explain or that you cannot inspect clearly: left-click server → Leave Server.

  2. 2

    Turn off DMs from server members

    User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Allow direct messages from server members → OFF.

  3. 3

    Limit friend requests

    User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Friend Requests and uncheck Everyone so strangers cannot add them easily.

  4. 4

    Disable age-restricted content

    User Settings → Privacy & Safety → age-restricted content → OFF.

  5. 5

    Enable two-factor authentication

    User Settings → My Account → Enable Two-Factor Auth so the account is harder to hijack.

  6. 6

    Set a standing review rule

    Agree that you can check the server list at any time without notice, because server membership is the main safety issue.