After blocking all content related to nudity and sexuality on iPhone and iPad, Discord went back and allowed access to some NSFW servers — not safe for work. From now on, only channels focused exclusively on “explicit pornographic materials” will not be able to be opened in the app for iOS devices.
Discord app on iPhone (Image: Ronaldo Gogoni/Tecnoblog)
On servers that contain nude images but are not solely focused on pornography, users can select an option to join channels anyway. It is worth mentioning that this restriction applies only to the iOS app. It is still possible to access all servers from other platforms.
This new rule was implemented by Discord due to community complaints following the blocking of all servers with any pornographic content on April 12th. Some administrators claimed to have difficulty moderating communities, as iPhone and iPad users could only view messages from their computer.
According to Discord, the total block was done because the App Store guidelines did not allow nudity in the store’s apps. If the company violated the rule, it could be banned from Apple’s platform.
The partial solution was to take advantage of a loophole that allows displaying NSFW content to users who choose to do so. So when someone accesses channels or servers that aren’t entirely porn-focused, Discord redirects them to the app’s website in their browser, where they can agree to viewing explicit images.
How does Discord rate an NSFW server?
According to Discord’s community regulations, all adult content posted on the platform must be hidden in a space dedicated to nudity or sexuality material. Currently, it is possible to designate only a channel or an entire server as an NSFW.
Having only one channel with adult content does not make the entire server unsuitable for minors. This just means that that specific space cannot be accessed by anyone under the age of 18.
On the other hand, if the server is entirely focused on pornography, then it is necessary to include the NSFW rating. If it doesn’t, Discord will notify the space owner and make the change automatically.