Discord to Make Some Public Server Messages Searchable

Discord will make some conversations from its public servers easier to find on the internet, drawing privacy concerns from users. The company announced the change on Tuesday.

The update covers “Discoverable Servers,” public servers eligible for Discord’s Server Discovery feature. Discord says more than 63,000 such servers host discussions on topics including gaming, fandoms, language learning and niche interests.

Starting November 16, each Discoverable Server will have a web page that may include automated summaries of active public-channel discussions. From mid-December, selected messages may also appear in search engine results. Server administrators can choose which channels are included, and individual members can opt out of making their messages publicly searchable. Published messages will not show usernames or avatars. Private servers, direct messages and group direct messages are excluded.

Some users worry that search visibility could expose conversations beyond their original context. Others question whether the messages could be used to train AI models. Discord says users can manage their preferences in settings, while administrators control participating channels.

The discoverability option is off by default in the EU, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia and South Korea because of legal restrictions. Teen users are also excluded.