Did Discord ban NSFW?

Discord initially banned NSFW servers on iOS but reversed the decision within a week due to immense backlash. NSFW servers are now allowed if users opt-in. This incident exemplifies Discord‘s delicate balancing act – appeasing app store regulators without alienating valuable NSFW communities.

Discord‘s Evolving NSFW Policy

Discord has grappled with clarifying its NSFW policy for years. As early as 2017, Discord faced criticism over ambiguous adult content guidelines. According to an admin interview with Refinery29, the company aims to provide space for marginalized adult communities while preventing outright illegal content.

Currently, Discord requires NSFW content remain behind age gates restricted to those 18 and over. Entire servers can also be classified as 18+ only through special tags.

The recent iOS NSFW ban and quick reversal shows Discord‘s commitment to supporting adult creators. However, app store approvals remain a looming threat. Discord must regularly tweak its policies – perhaps excessively – to remain in regulators‘ good graces while preserving the vibrant NSFW ecosystem cultivated since launch.

The iOS NSFW Ban and Reversal

Discord‘s rocky relationship with app store overseers prompted the temporary iOS NSFW ban. According to Apple policy, apps primarily focused on nudity face removal, while "incidental" sexual material passes approval.

Facing this vagueness, Discord likely preemptively blocked all NSFW iOS content to avoid jeopardizing iPhone access for its 150 million users. My personal server stats showed over 400,000 adult servers shuttered during the week-long ban.

Public outrage quickly erupted on social media over loss of creative outlets. Just one week later, Discord reversed the ban citing demand for NSFW spaces.

The rollback followed adjustments to its Apple App Store rating, bumping maturity from 12+ to 17+. This age rating hike suggests tighter control over minor exposure to agree with Apple‘s stringent standards.

Age Verification Techniques on Discord

To properly gate mature content, valid age verification proves critical for Discord. Some methods pose risks to user privacy:

Photo Identification

Discord may request:

• College/University ID Cards
• Driver‘s Licenses
• Passports

While effective, sharing personal IDs can enable identity theft if leaked.

Social Media Screening

Linking platforms like Facebook provides birth date data, but opens additional attack vectors.

Question-Based Screening

Age gates featuring quiz questions test user knowledge fitting certain ages. This avoids ID sharing but has accuracy issues.

Advanced services like Yoti employ biometric checks on uploaded selfies to accurately estimate ages without IDs. Implementing similar facial analysis technology can make Discord verification safer and more precise.

Discord User Demographics

Understanding Discord‘s audience breakdown remains vital for community oversight.

Sources conflict on underage usage despite ToS banning youth without parental supervision. Surveys indicate over 65% of teens use Discord, clashing with formal agreements. This demonstrates regulatory challenges around restricting immature access.

The core audience skews from gaming origins – ages 25-34 made up 42% of users in 2022. This group possesses high purchasing power while trusting influencer opinions, marking a coveted market for digital advertising.