Discord public server messages may become searchable on Google from December

[Coder22]

Discord is about to make some community conversations much more public. Engadget reports that messages in public channels of Discoverable Servers may soon appear in web search results, although users can opt out

Discoverable Servers are communities with at least 1,000 members that do not need an invite to join, and TechCrunch put their number at more than 63,000. From 16 November, each one gets a public Server Web Page with a description and summaries of discussions in public channels. From mid December, messages could start appearing word for word on those pages and in search engines

Usernames and avatars will not be shown, and private servers, direct messages and group chats stay private. Server admins can opt channels out now, and users can opt out of having their messages indexed in the Data and Privacy section of their settings

The feature is switched off by default in the EU, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia and South Korea, where users must opt in instead, and teenagers are excluded until they become adults. Discord says the aim is to surface useful community knowledge, much like old internet forums once did

There has already been a backlash on X and Reddit over context, privacy and the possibility of messages being used for AI training. People who chatted casually in a public channel never expected it to become searchable. The opt in approach for the UK and Europe is the right one, and it would be better everywhere

Would you want your Discord messages searchable on Google? And is Discord right that it will help people find useful information?

Discord public server messages may be soon searchable on Google, but you can opt out - Engadgetwww.engadget.com