Discord, a VoIP instant messaging and digital distribution platform has grown tremendously and garnered a mainstream user base. With millions of servers and users, the platform designed for creating communities has received massive attention, especially among Patreon artists and fandom communities. However, a recent rollout seems to have left users unimpressed! In its updated guidelines, the gaming chat platform restricts adult content, issuing a ban on users accessing NSFW servers on iOS devices. According to reports, the erotic art of sexy characters is among the images being targeted by Discord’s new policy.

Discord announced that servers designated as NSFW are now blocked on the Discord iOS app, regardless of users’ age. The latest guidelines prevent iPhone and iPad users from joining and accessing NSFW servers on these devices. However, it will still be possible for Discord users to access NSFW servers on its desktop version and Android. The platform’s change in policy echoes Tumblr’s NSFW crackdown in 2018. Many adult content creators noted that Discord’s updated guideline is part of a larger trend of major social media platforms banning NSFW content, most notably Tumblr.

“Our Community Guidelines require that all adult content posted to Discord be kept behind an NSFW gate,” reads Discord’s announcement in part. “Servers must be classified as NSFW if the community is organized around NSFW themes or if the majority of the server's content is 18+. Discord will mark servers meeting these criteria as NSFW if they are not appropriately designated,” it adds, as noted by several media outlets. Many social media users are unimpressed with the move and expressed their disagreement on Twitter.

Discord's Guidelines!

Users Aren't Impressed!

iOS Users Plan to Switch to Android!

The ban appears to be particularly concerning to art communities that include erotic illustrations. The restriction on accessing NSFW servers on iOS devices was to “comply with Apple’s policies” on nudity and adult content. In 2018, Discord pulled partnership status for servers with adult content, forcing some partnered servers to remove NSFW.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 15, 2021 10:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).