Discord public server messages may soon be searchable on Google, with an opt-out
Discord will launch web pages for its large public servers on November 16, and from mid-December messages from their channels could appear in search engine results. Admins and users can opt out of indexing.
Discord, the chat and online community platform, has announced a policy change that will make conversations on its largest public servers far more visible on the open web. Starting November 16, every Discoverable Server will receive a Server Web Page. These pages will show basic details about the server, including a description and summaries of discussions in its public channels.
By mid-December, messages posted in those channels could begin appearing word for word, both on the Server Web Pages and in search engine results. Neither the channel summaries nor the individual messages will show the poster's username or avatar.
Discord says the goal is to make information from these communities easier to find through web searches. In practice, Discord pages and messages could show up in results much as Reddit threads do.
What is affected
The change applies only to Discoverable Servers, which are large communities with at least 1,000 members that anyone can join without an invitation. Private servers, direct messages and group direct messages will stay private. Engadget notes that the decision could raise fresh privacy questions, as Discord recently faced backlash over how it implemented its age verification policies.
How to opt out
Admins of Discoverable Servers can already exclude individual channels from the planned web presence. Individual users can stop their posts in Discoverable Servers from being indexed through the Data and Privacy section of Discord's User Settings.
In the EU, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia and South Korea, channel messages will be off by default to comply with local regulations, so users there will need to opt in manually. Teenage users are excluded and cannot turn on channel messages until they reach adulthood.
