discord is spyware, plain and simple. they log everything you say, sell your data to advertisers, and can ban you for wrongthink at any moment. why would you willingly give a corporation complete control over your communications?

here's what discord actually does to you:

• data harvesting: they collect your messages, voice calls, screen shares, and even what games you play
• no privacy: everything is stored on their servers in plaintext, private DMS aren't "private"
• censorship: they can delete your account or entire servers for arbitrary "violations"
• vendor lock-in: try exporting your chat history or moving to another platform (spoiler: you can't)
• bloated electron garbage: uses more RAM than your browser with 50 tabs open
• corporate surveillance: they work with law enforcement and government agencies
• algorithm manipulation: they decide what you see and when you see it

meanwhile, alternatives like matrix, xmpp, and signal exist

stop feeding the surveillance machine. delete discord, use decentralized protocols, and take back control of your communications.

🏆 = my personal recommendation

🏆 matrix: decentralized, encrypted, federated. use element as your client. you actually own your data.

🏆 xmpp: the original federated messaging protocol. lightweight, secure, and has been around forever. try gajim or conversations.

🏆 signal: easy-to-use, private, secure. end-to-end encrypted by default with OMEMO.

irc: old school but still works. no bloat, no spying, just pure text communication. use hexchat or weechat. (no E2EE by default)

revolt: open source discord alternative with similar UI/UX. no data mining, actively developed, and transparent. (no E2EE)

mumble: for voice chat that doesn't suck. low latency, open source, self-hostable.

let's be real about something: privacy-respecting alternatives have their own issues, especially in large communities.

matrix and xmpp struggles:

• moderation hell: managing spam, trolls, and bad actors in 1000+ member servers is a nightmare
• no automod: you're stuck with manual moderation or basic bots that barely work
• federation drama: server admins can defederate over petty disputes, splitting communities
• technical barriers: many can't figure out homeservers, clients, or federation
• resource intensive: large matrix rooms can bring servers to their knees

discord's dirty secret: their automod and spam detection actually works. for massive gaming communities or public servers, discord's corporate surveillance machine ironically provides better user experience through automated content filtering.

the uncomfortable truth: if you're running a 10,000+ member gaming server, discord might actually be the least-shit option right now. their AI moderation catches spam, raids, and harassment faster than any volunteer moderator team could.

but here's the thing: treat ANY large server like a public forum. assume everything you say is being logged, analyzed, and potentially used against you later. this applies to discord, matrix, xmpp, whatever.

golden rule for large servers: don't say anything you wouldn't say in a crowded room with recording devices. save the private conversations for small, trusted groups using proper E2EE.

use the right tool for the job. small friend groups? matrix or signal. massive public gaming community? maybe discord isn't the worst choice, but act accordingly.

• Discord is Spyware - comprehensive breakdown of discord's privacy violations
• Matrix Introduction - getting started with matrix
• XMPP Getting Started - how to join the federated web
• Signal Blog - why centralized platforms could also be a move forward