

These are the channels where you go for typing. Text channels have a hashtag (#) symbol in front of them. Discord is a sprawling, layered platform, with tons of options and settings to wade through. The platform is free, though you can pay for some premiums. And since it’s a multimedia experience, you can use Discord to stream videos, play board games remotely with friends, listen to music together, and generally just hang out. But Discord has grown into a space where the conversations reach far outside of gaming territory, into music, culture, politics, art, finance, and even dating. Discord was originally built for gamers, and you’ll still find a lot of communities dedicated to gaming on the platform. The kind of conversations you have there will vary depending on the community you’re in, but in general, users tend to be more laid back than those on other social media sites. You can participate in Discord’s text, voice, or video chats on mobile devices or desktop computers. Facebook, but without an algorithm that prioritizes the types of posts that turned your aunt into a racist. It's Slack, but without that feeling that your boss is always checking your online status. It’s like Zoom, but more flexible and fun. It's for texting, voice calls, or video calls with friends or strangers with common interests. The communication platform Discord has expanded greatly in the six or so years since it launched, growing from a humble bit of chat software into a juggernaut of the social internet.
