Server Ban
A user can get banned from a server if they violate the server guidelines, such as engaging in inappropriate messaging or behavior. A person with the ability to ban another user can do so by navigating to their account menu and pressing Ban or clicking, or by typing a command that will cause a bot to ban the user from the server. Users can also ban users who aren’t currently on the server by typing a ban command with their user ID, which will be executed by a bot. The ban will last until the user is unbanned by a moderator. However, bots can be employed to temporarily ban a user.
A server ban can occur on two levels. On one level, the user is simply kicked or removed from the server. However, in this case, they can join again if they want to or if the server admin allows them to. On the second level, the user’s account is removed from the server, and their account, IP address, as well as phone number are permanently banned from ever rejoining the server. To prevent ban evasion, any other accounts that employ the user’s IP address and phone number will not be allowed to join the server. If the user returns with another account or if they employ the use of a VPN to rejoin the server, they violate the Discord Terms of Service, and when reported, their account can be permanently deleted.
Platform Ban
A platform ban occurs when a user violates the Discord Terms of Service or community guidelines. When this happens, Discord’s Trust and Safety Team can ban users. A ban occurs on five levels:
A warning is simply when a user receives a direct message (DM) and email from the Discord Trust and Safety Team about the violation they have committed,
An API ban is when the user is partially barred from using Discord’s API (Application Programming Interface) because they frequently exceed their rate limits.
In a temporary ban, the user is temporarily denied access to Discord.
In an account termination, the user’s current account gets disabled first and then deleted later. However, the user is allowed to create a new account.
In a permanent ban, Discord has permanently banned the user. If the user added a phone number to their account, that number will be blacklisted and a phone verification will be set on the user’s IP address. They are not permitted to use Discord in the future.
Cybercrimes and Misuse
The banning feature on Discord is very helpful and useful as it allows users to prevent others from engaging in inappropriate behavior and sabotaging. If left unmonitored, the actions of users with malicious and ill intent can even amount to cybercrime and scams. For instance, In a cryptocurrency giveaway scam, con artists looking for quick cash targeted Discord servers. Scammers gained access to Discord servers and sent private messages to users posing as representatives of new and upcoming cryptocurrency exchanges. This new trend in scams that use Discord servers explains cybercriminals’ foresight in targeting more victims in less time.
Similarly, a handful of cases where Discord has been used as the starting point for child grooming are more concerning than other rising cybercrime activities. Another previously unreported search warrant from 2017 was discovered by Forbes, detailing the case of William Lee Dela Cruz, 22, who was using Discord to communicate with an unnamed 12-year-old. Cybercriminals are drawn to social media platforms because of their universal appeal. However, the widening range of criminal risks encountered on social media is still largely unexplored. Discord’s large user base also makes it an ideal environment for social engineering to steal personal information and credentials.
Sometimes, however, the ban feature is also misused by users on as server to ban and restrict other users who are not violating the Discord Terms of Service or community guidelines. Thus, despite Dsicord’s attempts to create a safe environment for people to connect, cyber crimes and misuse of its security features remain a large problem that needs to be tackled with the creation of convenient and long-running solutions which have fewer risks.
