Last year, I published an app review on the insanely popular social media/gamer platform Discord. This app has continued to grow in its membership and popularity since then, and warrants an update, especially in light of some recent news.

On January 16, 2019, 6 men and one woman arrested in St. Pete, Texas, and accused of sexually exploiting two teens, met at least one of them on Discord.

Discord is a free voice, video, and text chat app for teens and adults ages 13 and up. If your kid is a gamer, they are likely to have this app. It is intended for teens to chat about their games and create a talk-group when they are playing a coop game. Teens can access Discord via their PC, browser, or mobile phone. Once there, they can join a chat they’ve been invited to, or they can create private servers and invite their friends to play and discuss games by voice, text or video. They can also message each other individually or in group chats with up to ten other friends.

Teens love to talk (or brag) about their gaming exploits on games such as Fortnight or Pokemon. Discord is the app that allows them to connect with friends (or strangers) about their favorite pastime. They share triumphs, defeats, and most importantly, tips and tricks to be better players. I think you can see how this app is so popular and potentially dangerous.

Should my child have this app?

The answer is, maybe. The minimum age to have an account is 13-years-old. If your child is under 13, allowing them to have it before the required age sends the wrong message. If your child is at least 13 and you think they have the maturity to navigate the issues we have already identified ...