Discord as a platform is not toxic by design, however, certain users on certain servers can be toxic.
Toxic behavior on Discord is usually due to the anonymous and unregulated nature of interactions. This enables people to behave badly because of a lack of accountability.
Why is Discord toxic, and how can you avoid it?
Discord is not designed to be toxic, but some users and servers might be. It is better to choose a community wisely and report a toxic user. In extreme cases, you can block such users.
This article will cover why Discord can be toxic and how to avoid toxicity on the platform. You will also learn how to make your server a safe space and how to protect your children on the platform.
Toxicity on Discord
Toxic behavior on Discord can manifest as bullying, hate speech, etc. Some servers on Discord are created for drama, which can become toxic to users who do not enjoy drama.
You may notice that larger servers are more toxic because it is a large group, and bad eggs are bound to sneak in. Toxic behavior in a server is a sign of poor moderation by the admin.
Smaller servers are saner because it is easy for the admin to ensure compliance with regulations. This makes it hard for people to get away with bad behavior.
How To Avoid Toxic Servers?
Below are some tips to avoid toxic servers on Discord.
Tip #1: Choose Communities Carefully
Before joining a server on Discord, do a proper check on the purpose of the server. You can also study how interactions go on the platform and how the admin regulates interactions.
This might give you a sense of how safe the community is. If the server is business minded and relaxing, it is better than having a server for any random activity. This ensures that you are in a group with other serious-minded users.
Tip #2: Report Any Toxic Behavior
Suppose you experience any toxic behavior, whether personally or on the server, report it to the group admin.
You should always report toxic behavior to ensure that it is identified and monitored and does not happen again. Keeping quiet is not a sustainable plan.
Tip #3: Block the User
If a user is directly toxic to you, consider blocking the user. This ensures that they do not have access to you anymore.
How To Make Your Community Less Toxic?
You want your server to be a safe space for everyone, which is why you need to take extra care to ensure that nobody feels offended on your platform.
It is easier to have a bot throw out users for breaking the server rules; however, that is not a sustainable strategy.
Here is how to make your servers less toxic.
Step #1: Reach Out to the User
It is important to reach out to the user who is causing trouble on the platform before removing them. This helps you understand what the challenge or grievance is.
Sometimes, a user might be reacting to get attention, or they are having a bad day. Finding out what is wrong helps you to get to the bottom of this. You may reach out to them on the server or DM them.
Step #2: Remind Them of the Server Rules
If this bad behavior continues on the server, you need to reach out to them and remind them of the rules they are breaking.
Reminding them of the rules is your way of letting them know there are penalties for breaking them.
Step #3: Remove Them From the Server
Once it is obvious that the user is unwilling to abide by your rules, remove them from your server. This is your best option to ensure that one person does not ruin the entire server.
Not removing toxic users promptly can also enable others to misbehave.
Step #4: Block Them
If, after removing the user from your server, they continue to act hostile to you, you may need to block them on Discord.
This will stop them from contacting and harassing you.
Discord and Child Safety
According to their guidelines, Discord has an age limit of 13. This means children below 13 should not be allowed on the platform.
If your child is above 13, you should still monitor their Discord usage because Discord contains swearing, graphic language, and adult content.
Most Discord servers do not allow this type of content, but with enough exploring, a child may end up on an adult server.
Here are some tips to ensure child safety on Discord.
Tip #1: Use the Platform
The best way to ensure your child’s safety on a platform is to understand the platform. You need to be an active user of the platform to know how to direct your children properly.
Children are usually more tech-savvy than adults, so they can easily hide things from you.
Tip #2: Apply Time Limits
Consider limiting the time your children spend on the platform.
This ensures that they spend their time doing specific rewarding tasks and limits their ability to explore too far into the platform.
Tip #3: Monitor the Servers They Are On
Your children should only be on servers that help them.
Take action immediately if you notice a sketchy server with content that makes you uncomfortable.
In Conclusion
Discord is a great platform to connect with people of like minds and grow a community. Gamers and programmers mostly use it to learn and hang out. However, some users can become toxic to you.
This article explains why that is and how you can avoid the toxic trappings of Discord. You will also learn how to make your server safer as an admin and how to secure your children’s use of the platform.
FAQs
Yes. One user can become a problem for the whole server and spoil the experience for everyone else. Which is why taking early action is important.
