Discord plans to block NSFW communities and channels on iOS devices

Posted on by Corbin Davenport

Discord is one of the most popular messaging platforms in existence, with a focus on conversations in dedicated channels and communities (sometimes called ‘servers’) over 1-to-1 communication. However, there is now one catch to using Discord on iOS: servers marked as NSFW are inaccessible.

Discord announced a policy change yesterday (via The Verge), explaining that all adult content should be kept behind an NSFW (‘Not Safe For Work’) warning. The platform has allowed individual channels to be marked as NSFW for years, but now entire communities can have the warning. No one between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to join or view NSFW communities. If communities with adult content don’t add the warning themselves, Discord may do it on their behalf.

More importantly, NSFW communities and channels will be blocked on all iOS devices, even for people over the age of 18. “iOS users aged 18+ will still be able to join and access NSFW communities on the desktop and web versions of Discord,” the company said.

The move is likely intended to keep Discord on the App Store, as Apple has historically blocked apps that feature or promote adult content. Tumblr famously banned all NSFW content from its platform in 2018, only days after Apple removed its app from the App Store. Tumblr was allowed to return to the App Store shortly afterwards, but not before the platform experienced a mass exodus of users upset at the NSFW ban.

Discord users are already criticizing the company for the new policy, for most of the same reasons that Tumblr users spoke out in 2018. Some believe the move could adversely affect LGBT+ communities (YouTube has a long history of this, for example), while others are concerned that many art communities could be incorrectly marked as NSFW.

It remains to be seen if Discord will lose any significant market share over its new policy. However, it’s not hard to see the platform as stuck between a wall and a hard place — Discord can either play by Apple’s draconian rules, or say goodbye to all iOS users.

The post Discord plans to block NSFW communities and channels on iOS devices appeared first on Pocketnow.

Discord mulling potential sale in a deal valued north of $10 billion: Report

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Discord – the free voice, video, and chat platform that is particularly popular in the gaming community – is reportedly mulling a sales deal that could be valued at over $10 billion. As per a report by VentureBeat that cites sources privy to the latest developments, the company is in active discussions with a few big names, and based on its current valuation, the deal could go well over $10 billion. One of the sources even mentioned that it won’t be surprising if the bidding wars exceed the $20 billion mark. 

“Two sources familiar with the matter said that Discord is exploring its options for a sale in the wake of interest from multiple parties that want to buy the company. And one source said the company has signed an exclusive acquisition discussion with one party, meaning it is in final negotiations about a sale.”
– VentureBeat

Discord doesn't rely on ads, and makes it dollars from selling a subscription service

Fueled by the pandemic surge, Discord’s monthly user base skyrocketed past the 140 million mark, helping the company bring $130 million in revenue last year, more than triple the figures it reached in 2019. But as per a report by TheWallStreetJournal, the company isn’t profitable yet, and makes its dollars from selling a subscription service called Nitro that offers perks such as custom and animated emojis, animated avatar, high-quality file sharing, and higher video resolution among others.  

Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Facebook have vested interest in the gaming segment, and are likely suitors too

We don’t know the names of potential suitors right now, but deep-pocket names such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google might be in the bidding queue. And it won’t be surprising if one of these companies end up snagging Discord, given their interest in the gaming segment. Microsoft – whose Mixer acquisition didn’t end up well – might get a huge boost in its gaming ambitions following its $7.5 billion Bethesda acquisition. Amazon already owns Twitch – the biggest name in the streaming domain and also has its own cloud-based game streaming service called Luna.

Google, on the other hand, is focusing on strengthening its Stadia infrastructure after shutting down the in-house games development studio. Facebook might emerge as another possible buyer given its recent push in the gaming segment, after launching its own cloud-based game streaming service in October last year. Notably, Discord has avoided ads, explaining that they hamper the user experience.

Discord's appeal has breached the gaming ecosystem and it is growing rapidly

However, there is also a possibility that the deal could never happen, as the company might just be testing the waters. Discord has reportedly tasked Qatalyst Partners to assess interested parties, but there is no concrete information about a name that is ahead of other suitors in the race.

Right now, Discord’s popularity has transcended beyond just the gaming ecosystem, and is quickly gaining traction among students for collaborating over college work as well as professionals. I also know about multiple companies that rely on Discord for communication between employees. And the best part is that Discord is free, which leaves the doors open for rapid growth in the foreseeable future.

The post Discord mulling potential sale in a deal valued north of $10 billion: Report appeared first on Pocketnow.

Discord brings AI-driven noise suppression tech to its mobile app

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Discord introduced its AI-driven noise suppression tech created in collaboration with Krisp back in April, but so far, the tool has been limited to the desktop client. Today, Discord announced that its noise reduction tool is now available on its mobile app for Android and iOS as well, and it is completely free for all users.

In order to enable the feature, just tap on the noise suppression button (shaped like a sound wave graph shown in the image below) during a voice or video call. Additionally, you can choose to enable the feature in Discord’s mobile app by following this path – Settings > User Settings > Voice > Voice Processing > Noise Suppression (beta).

Image for post

Do keep in mind that the feature is still in beta, just to make sure that any issues and performance shortcomings are ironed out before a wider release. Discord says it does not share any user data with Krisp when the noise suppression tech is enabled, as the feature relies on on-device machine learning to identify and reduce noise. You can find more information about the feature here.

The post Discord brings AI-driven noise suppression tech to its mobile app appeared first on Pocketnow.