[UPDATED] The Discord Privacy Debacle Continues, Rumors Suggest that it May Record User Voice & Video Calls
Discord has reached out with an update on the matter, please check it out below (before the conclusion). The original story is as follows:
A user on Reddit reports that Discord, the popular and well-known communication app may start recording voice and video calls. Apparently, Discord has made some rather ‘unclear’ edits in its ToS (Terms of Service) which are concerning for those that care about their privacy.
Discord to Record Video & Voice Calls
User u/7Vs69 on Reddit claimed a few days ago that Discord has made slight adjustments to its Terms of Service. The current ToS are set to expire on March 26, 2023. While users can read the current ToS here, Discord has detailed the ToS that will be in effect later this month.
- Old ToS: March 28, 2022 – March 26, 2023
- New ToS: March 27, 2023
Old ToS
In order to explain how Discord will quote-unquote ‘track user voice and video activity’, we need to go over the (current) ToS.
The user has already highlighted the required sentences, making our job easier. As showcased below, the ToS read, ‘We generally do not store the contents of video or voice calls or channels. Similarly, Discord (as per the old ToS) will not store/record anything (video or even voice) streamed over its screen-share feature.
All of that is fine, but remember, these ToS will be replaced in late March. Let’s go over the newer and updated Terms of Services then.
New ToS
Who would’ve guessed? The document published by Discord has no mention, whatsoever regarding the lines highlighted above. This is concerning, especially because if Discord were not to record user activity, it would explicitly mention this. Since this is merely a guess, based on early documentation, we advise users not to make any judgments or verdicts.
[UPDATE] Discord Clarifies The Recent ToS Changes
Discord has come up and clarified a few misconceptions regarding the recent changes in its Terms of Service. A spokesperson for Discord explains;
“There has not been a change in Discord’s position on how we store or record the contents of video or voice channels. We recognize that when we privately issued adjusted language in our Privacy Policy, we inadvertently caused confusion among our users. To be clear, nothing has changed and we have reinserted the language back into our Privacy Policy along with some additional clarifying information.”
Discord Spokesperson to Appuals
Users can now be at ease since Discord has shed light on its rather confusing choice of words. The updated Privacy Policy now reads;
As a matter of fact, the new terms are actually much more specific and clear than last time. Discord has explicitly mentioned that any changes in its Privacy Policy will be reported to users beforehand.
The Outcome
All things considered, we need to wait for Discord to make an official statement in regard to this matter. It is possible that the recent Discord PlayStation integration might have stirred up a change in the ToS. Since PlayStation (Sony) requires PSN voice chats to be recorded, it might have forced Discord to alter its Privacy Policy.
