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Using Discord in a private way?

Hi all,

I haven't used Discord in a while, but it became so that now I have to use it for communication with certain people getting support for some services that I use. What I'm doing currently is:

  • using a separate randomised e-mail address only for the Discord account
  • using a randomly generated username
  • no profile picture
  • tweaking the settings as best I can for privacy

Other than these points, I'm also being wary of talking about anything personal on Discord. Would you add anything so I can be even safer when using Discord?

breadsmasher ,
@breadsmasher@lemmy.world avatar

If youre just talking to friends directly without joining servers so this might not matter. But discord might require a phone number for verification? Im not sure what triggers it specifically- I dont think its required just for an account though

variants ,

It depends on the server. Most servers set it to require an email verified account because of all the bots and spammers, I haven't joined any that required a phone number but might if they support a product and want to link your discord to their orders or something

BaumGeist ,

I'll give you the most extreme solutions I can think of, and let you decide how much of each you want to enact.

First and foremost: use a secure and privacy friendly OS—Qubes on a burner pc or GrapheneOS on a burner phone—with secure and privacy-friendly networking—use DNS-over-HTTPS, or self-host as much of the infrastructure as you can, consider a VPN, keep the device on an isolated VLAN—use a secure/private web browser like LibreWolf.

General rules of online interaction apply for maintaining privacy within the servers: e.g. don't talk specifics about your location, your age, your physical appearance, your childhood, your employer, etc.

As with most modern apps, the web app is necessarily less intrusive than the installable binary. Use the web app when you can, and limit your usage to only when you can use the web app on a computer and network you own—privacy enforcing habits are more important than all the software stopgaps in the world.

If you absolutely must use a binary, consider breaking Discord's TOS and using a modified front-end: I know some people who use Aliucord for Android, and I just this moment learned about GoofCord for desktop

don't install/run any software without verifying the integrity of the developers/distributors and binaries yourself, or building from source and verifying the code

It's better to have Discord stealing your browsing data to sell you shit than have some random github malware rootkitting your phone.

fruitycoder ,

Use a Foss client that blocks the client tracking aspects, tor to connect, and only post pgp encrypted messages on it?

chevy9294 ,

You can use Armcord or other Discord client which is for sure better than the offical.

MigratingtoLemmy ,

A VPN and the other stuff you mentioned will deal with it

refalo ,

VPNs do not protect your privacy. Please don't spread FUD

MigratingtoLemmy ,

They do not protect one's privacy if someone is motivated enough, i.e. nation states, or if OP's VPN company sells their information. You can be reasonably assured that Mullvad and IVPN aren't exactly doing that. In terms of obfuscating one's IP, if that's a step towards one's privacy from big tech, then yes good VPNs definitely protect one's privacy

Asudox ,
@Asudox@lemmy.world avatar

Don't share any personally identifiable information and use the TOR network when using it for additional privacy.

possiblylinux127 ,
@possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip avatar

Good luck with that

sic_semper_tyrannis ,

Did you sign up with a VPN turned on? Are you always using a VPN and private DNS? You could also use a voice changer.

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