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Reddit has switch for NSFW content and I can browse porn reddits from the app just fine. I don't see why Discord should be different. Unless there's more to thi

Reddit has switch for NSFW content and I can browse porn reddits from the app just fine. I don't see why Discord should be different. Unless there's more to this story, that decision was made by Discord, not Apple.

croon 6y ago
If it was made by Discord, it would be very unlikely to be made specifically for iOS.
Cu3PO42 6y ago
I find this unlikely. Discord has an interest in keeping as many communities as possible on its platform. If they had moral concerns with NSFW content on mobile devices they could have made the same change on Android. And this wouldn't be the first time Apple doesn't apply its rules equally to everyone.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
darklion 6y ago
My guess is that because it's possible to access adult material, Apple requires a higher age rating on the App Store than Discord would like. For instance, both the Reddit and Apollo apps are rated 17+. There's nothing "adult" about them, except that it can access adult subreddits. So by banning adult channels, Discord is likely looking to drop the age rating on their app. A 12+ or 9+ would be more appealing and potentially allow them a broader audience, especially when trying to target the teen crowd which may have parental filters enabled on their phones.
- nullspace 6y ago
  I think there's some misinformation in your replies about how this rating can be used. As a parent, you can add screen time restrictions to your child's phone that prevent them from accessing apps that are above a certain rating. This is a very powerful feature, that's really hard (impossible?) to bypass without social engineering. It's possible that discord is concerned enough with this so as to block out nsfw servers. Do they have a lot of teenagers on their platform?
  - charia 6y ago
    Discord has a huge userbase of pre-teen and teenage gamers, so your explanation makes sense here.
- koolba 6y ago
  I distinctly remember being able to find "adult content" at the age of 12. If I was 12 today I don't think Apple's iOS moderation would stop me either.
  - YinglingLight 6y ago
    Remember when Tumblr dropped all adult content awhile back? We're going to find out how enmeshed our favorite sites are with sex trafficking. Child sex trafficking. There will be an upcoming pendulum shift towards puritanism of the likes our culture has never seen. HN'ers will start going to church, of all things.
  - corobo 6y ago
    Aye but it helps Apple's stock ticker to block it It's never about the actual thing haha. Americans (averaged and skewed by power) are really weird about sex
    - CharlesW 6y ago
      > It's never about the actual thing haha. As a parent, it's 100% about the actual thing. Whatever the additional motivations are for Faceless Multinational Corporations to be thoughtful about it, I'm glad they are. Before the cries of "censorship", this is about kids not stumbling about NSFW/NSFL content before they're equipped (by parents, educators, etc.) to deal with it. When they want to find it, they will be able to.
      - Cu3PO42 6y ago
        > this is about kids But it's not just kids who use Discord (and other platforms). If you're concerned about kids accidentally discovering adult content, by all means add a parental control setting somewhere that hides any NSFW content. Then everyone else who is of legal age and equipped to deal with such content can, if they wish to do so.
        nullspace 6y ago
- yjftsjthsd-h 6y ago
  ... What are browsers rated?
  - CivBase 6y ago
    Last I knew there was only one browser for iOS (Safari) which can neither be removed nor replaced, just reskinned. If that's still the case, it would be pointless to even give it a rating. EDIT: Getting downvoted. Is this incorrect?
    - Cu3PO42 6y ago
      I haven't personally downvoted you, but I would assume it's for one of two reasons: 1) The distinction if browsers ship their own engine or just embed system provided WebKit is ultimately irrelevant to the question at hand. I can go on the App Store and download "Chrome" or "Firefox" and use those applications to access websites. 2) Browsers do have age ratings on the App Store. It's 17+.
  - xkr 6y ago
    17+, which is quite ridiculous of course—Safari is pre-installed and allows you to see the same websites as Chrome or Firefox
    - Spivak 6y ago
      Non-Safari browsers (apparently) don’t and can’t respect iOS parental controls so of course they would be 17+.
      - sangeeth96 6y ago
        I know you said "can't" but just to confirm, is there no iOS API to get parental control info to block stuff like this? If not, I wonder why Apple doesn't provide that option. o/w, "Safari supports parental controls" argument is BS.
        6y ago
- api 6y ago
  Are web browsers 17+?
  - dylan604 6y ago
    Because sometimes, people just need help answering simple questions: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-private-safe-browser/id989804926 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-private-safe-browser/i...
- grw_ 6y ago
  Couldn't they publish two versions of the app, a 12+ that cannot access NSFW servers and 17+ that does?
- chrisBob 6y ago
  Is there a reason not to split the app into SFW and full versions? I am surprised I haven't seen this in other places, but it seems like the right solution here.
  - Cu3PO42 6y ago
    There is: discoverability. If you search in the App Store you’re going to find those two versions and then they’ll have to prominently explain “this is the version of the app you can look at porn with” and “this is the kid-safe version”. They’d probably choose different wording, but that would be the message. And you don’t want to advertise adult content on your platform in any way, that just doesn’t end well.
    - Mindwipe 6y ago
      It's also highly questionable Apple would let a "full" version in the store tbh, as it's only purpose would be NSFW servers.
- callamdelaney 6y ago
  So next apple will make safari 17+ because I could use it to acces pornographic content?
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- dcow 6y ago
  Maybe Apple needs a granular content rating framework that platform apps can apply internally rather than the rating being entirely an umbrella policy.
- amalcon 6y ago
  Legitimate question: Could Discord produce two apps, e.g. "Discord Safe" and "Discord Unsafe", where the only differences are the age rating and whether the NSFW switch can be flipped? Is there anything in the rules prohibiting this?
  - anticensor 6y ago
    A third party could do that, but not the same provider.
    - Ruthalas 6y ago
      Can you clarify what you mean here? Is that a store policy?
      - anticensor 6y ago
        Children would lie about their age and download NSFW-capable version awyway if both are first party.
- Dracophoenix 6y ago
  Would't that make internet browsers like Safari and Chrome 18+ as well? Or any content provider (Spotify, Netflix, iMessage, etc.) in general? If not, it seems like a double standard.
everetm 6y ago
Reddit recently started censoring all nsfw nudity subreddits from r/all ever since the mentions of an IPO. You would need to actively subscribe or visit that subreddit directly. This isn't anything new. Reddit activitly censors all kinds of subreddits from r/all. Now you only can discover the content they want you to see. The level of censorship across the internet of the smallest things is getting depressing. I do see the need to censor things that manipulate people's perspectives to harm but this is different.
- throwaway3699 6y ago
  "but this is different..." How? As far as I can tell, the so called slippery slope fallacy came and went. We decided in favour of censorship -- but if you can censor one type of content, expect many more to be added to the list.
  - everetm 6y ago
    I agree. Also, I was intentional vague. When I wrote it I was thinking of more extremest discussions around people glorifying mass murder. Which doesn't necessarily fall under a nsfw tag. If I had the choice, I'd much rather have the completely free and open internet we used to have but that ship has sailed as you mentioned.
    - jhclouse 6y ago
      You’re actively arguing for revving up the engines and setting out while defending that decision as if it has already taken place. While plenty of people are disagreeing with the potential decision. Also, I’m not a “we” and neither are you. Stop hiding behind some imaginary hive mind.
      - everetm 6y ago
        "you're actively arguing for revving up the engines" Am I? Not sure why you're attacking every character of text. Relax kid.
- 6y ago
CivBase 6y ago
Discord really should explain themselves if they are able. That said, this decision makes no sense unless Discord is being influenced by a third party, and like OP, my first and only suspect is Apple. Yeah it would be inconsistent for Apple, but it's just as inconsistent for Discord and there is at least precedent for this inconsistency on Apple's app store (eg Amazon getting preferential treatment for in-app purchases). There is also precedent for Apple not allowing app developers to explain how app functionality had to be altered to comply with Apple's whims (eg Facebook getting in trouble for publishing information about Apple's 30% cut on in-app purchases). My best guess is that Apple thinks of Discord as a platform which is more popular with children than Reddit, so they are trying to get ahead of parental complaints by eliminating access to NSFW content via Discord's iOS app altogether. I have no evidence for this, though, so I guess we'll wait and see.
- dmatech 6y ago
  This is almost certainly being done to placate Apple, because there's no mention of Android. My guess would be that Discord is being leaned on to "clean up the NSFW problem" or be de-listed. Discord is already rated 17+ (the maximum age rating) according to https://apps.apple.com/us/app/discord-talk-chat-hang-out/id985746746 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/discord-talk-chat-hang-out/id9.... I don't see how rating it 12+ would ever be possible given the description at https://apps.apple.com/sa/story/id1440847896?l=en https://apps.apple.com/sa/story/id1440847896?l=en.
MuffinFlavored 6y ago
Discord has porn?
- vbezhenar 6y ago
  It contains unmoderated user-generated content, of course some users will post absolutely any kinds of content including porn. There's even official pornhub server.
- wly_cdgr 6y ago
  Lol

croon 6y ago

If it was made by Discord, it would be very unlikely to be made specifically for iOS.

Cu3PO42 6y ago

I find this unlikely. Discord has an interest in keeping as many communities as possible on its platform. If they had moral concerns with NSFW content on mobile devices they could have made the same change on Android. And this wouldn't be the first time Apple doesn't apply its rules equally to everyone.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

darklion 6y ago

My guess is that because it's possible to access adult material, Apple requires a higher age rating on the App Store than Discord would like. For instance, both the Reddit and Apollo apps are rated 17+. There's nothing "adult" about them, except that it can access adult subreddits. So by banning adult channels, Discord is likely looking to drop the age rating on their app. A 12+ or 9+ would be more appealing and potentially allow them a broader audience, especially when trying to target the teen crowd which may have parental filters enabled on their phones.

nullspace 6y ago
I think there's some misinformation in your replies about how this rating can be used. As a parent, you can add screen time restrictions to your child's phone that prevent them from accessing apps that are above a certain rating. This is a very powerful feature, that's really hard (impossible?) to bypass without social engineering. It's possible that discord is concerned enough with this so as to block out nsfw servers. Do they have a lot of teenagers on their platform?
- charia 6y ago
  Discord has a huge userbase of pre-teen and teenage gamers, so your explanation makes sense here.
koolba 6y ago
I distinctly remember being able to find "adult content" at the age of 12. If I was 12 today I don't think Apple's iOS moderation would stop me either.
- YinglingLight 6y ago
  Remember when Tumblr dropped all adult content awhile back? We're going to find out how enmeshed our favorite sites are with sex trafficking. Child sex trafficking. There will be an upcoming pendulum shift towards puritanism of the likes our culture has never seen. HN'ers will start going to church, of all things.
- corobo 6y ago
  Aye but it helps Apple's stock ticker to block it It's never about the actual thing haha. Americans (averaged and skewed by power) are really weird about sex
  - CharlesW 6y ago
    > It's never about the actual thing haha. As a parent, it's 100% about the actual thing. Whatever the additional motivations are for Faceless Multinational Corporations to be thoughtful about it, I'm glad they are. Before the cries of "censorship", this is about kids not stumbling about NSFW/NSFL content before they're equipped (by parents, educators, etc.) to deal with it. When they want to find it, they will be able to.
    - Cu3PO42 6y ago
      > this is about kids But it's not just kids who use Discord (and other platforms). If you're concerned about kids accidentally discovering adult content, by all means add a parental control setting somewhere that hides any NSFW content. Then everyone else who is of legal age and equipped to deal with such content can, if they wish to do so.
      - nullspace 6y ago
yjftsjthsd-h 6y ago
... What are browsers rated?
- CivBase 6y ago
  Last I knew there was only one browser for iOS (Safari) which can neither be removed nor replaced, just reskinned. If that's still the case, it would be pointless to even give it a rating. EDIT: Getting downvoted. Is this incorrect?
  - Cu3PO42 6y ago
    I haven't personally downvoted you, but I would assume it's for one of two reasons: 1) The distinction if browsers ship their own engine or just embed system provided WebKit is ultimately irrelevant to the question at hand. I can go on the App Store and download "Chrome" or "Firefox" and use those applications to access websites. 2) Browsers do have age ratings on the App Store. It's 17+.
- xkr 6y ago
  17+, which is quite ridiculous of course—Safari is pre-installed and allows you to see the same websites as Chrome or Firefox
  - Spivak 6y ago
    Non-Safari browsers (apparently) don’t and can’t respect iOS parental controls so of course they would be 17+.
    - sangeeth96 6y ago
      I know you said "can't" but just to confirm, is there no iOS API to get parental control info to block stuff like this? If not, I wonder why Apple doesn't provide that option. o/w, "Safari supports parental controls" argument is BS.
      - 6y ago
api 6y ago
Are web browsers 17+?
- dylan604 6y ago
  Because sometimes, people just need help answering simple questions: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-private-safe-browser/id989804926 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-private-safe-browser/i...
grw_ 6y ago
Couldn't they publish two versions of the app, a 12+ that cannot access NSFW servers and 17+ that does?
chrisBob 6y ago
Is there a reason not to split the app into SFW and full versions? I am surprised I haven't seen this in other places, but it seems like the right solution here.
- Cu3PO42 6y ago
  There is: discoverability. If you search in the App Store you’re going to find those two versions and then they’ll have to prominently explain “this is the version of the app you can look at porn with” and “this is the kid-safe version”. They’d probably choose different wording, but that would be the message. And you don’t want to advertise adult content on your platform in any way, that just doesn’t end well.
  - Mindwipe 6y ago
    It's also highly questionable Apple would let a "full" version in the store tbh, as it's only purpose would be NSFW servers.
callamdelaney 6y ago
So next apple will make safari 17+ because I could use it to acces pornographic content?
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
dcow 6y ago
Maybe Apple needs a granular content rating framework that platform apps can apply internally rather than the rating being entirely an umbrella policy.
amalcon 6y ago
Legitimate question: Could Discord produce two apps, e.g. "Discord Safe" and "Discord Unsafe", where the only differences are the age rating and whether the NSFW switch can be flipped? Is there anything in the rules prohibiting this?
- anticensor 6y ago
  A third party could do that, but not the same provider.
  - Ruthalas 6y ago
    Can you clarify what you mean here? Is that a store policy?
    - anticensor 6y ago
      Children would lie about their age and download NSFW-capable version awyway if both are first party.
Dracophoenix 6y ago
Would't that make internet browsers like Safari and Chrome 18+ as well? Or any content provider (Spotify, Netflix, iMessage, etc.) in general? If not, it seems like a double standard.

everetm 6y ago

Reddit recently started censoring all nsfw nudity subreddits from r/all ever since the mentions of an IPO. You would need to actively subscribe or visit that subreddit directly. This isn't anything new. Reddit activitly censors all kinds of subreddits from r/all. Now you only can discover the content they want you to see. The level of censorship across the internet of the smallest things is getting depressing. I do see the need to censor things that manipulate people's perspectives to harm but this is different.

throwaway3699 6y ago
"but this is different..." How? As far as I can tell, the so called slippery slope fallacy came and went. We decided in favour of censorship -- but if you can censor one type of content, expect many more to be added to the list.
- everetm 6y ago
  I agree. Also, I was intentional vague. When I wrote it I was thinking of more extremest discussions around people glorifying mass murder. Which doesn't necessarily fall under a nsfw tag. If I had the choice, I'd much rather have the completely free and open internet we used to have but that ship has sailed as you mentioned.
  - jhclouse 6y ago
    You’re actively arguing for revving up the engines and setting out while defending that decision as if it has already taken place. While plenty of people are disagreeing with the potential decision. Also, I’m not a “we” and neither are you. Stop hiding behind some imaginary hive mind.
    - everetm 6y ago
      "you're actively arguing for revving up the engines" Am I? Not sure why you're attacking every character of text. Relax kid.
6y ago

CivBase 6y ago

Discord really should explain themselves if they are able. That said, this decision makes no sense unless Discord is being influenced by a third party, and like OP, my first and only suspect is Apple. Yeah it would be inconsistent for Apple, but it's just as inconsistent for Discord and there is at least precedent for this inconsistency on Apple's app store (eg Amazon getting preferential treatment for in-app purchases). There is also precedent for Apple not allowing app developers to explain how app functionality had to be altered to comply with Apple's whims (eg Facebook getting in trouble for publishing information about Apple's 30% cut on in-app purchases). My best guess is that Apple thinks of Discord as a platform which is more popular with children than Reddit, so they are trying to get ahead of parental complaints by eliminating access to NSFW content via Discord's iOS app altogether. I have no evidence for this, though, so I guess we'll wait and see.

dmatech 6y ago
This is almost certainly being done to placate Apple, because there's no mention of Android. My guess would be that Discord is being leaned on to "clean up the NSFW problem" or be de-listed. Discord is already rated 17+ (the maximum age rating) according to https://apps.apple.com/us/app/discord-talk-chat-hang-out/id985746746 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/discord-talk-chat-hang-out/id9.... I don't see how rating it 12+ would ever be possible given the description at https://apps.apple.com/sa/story/id1440847896?l=en https://apps.apple.com/sa/story/id1440847896?l=en.

MuffinFlavored 6y ago

Discord has porn?

vbezhenar 6y ago
It contains unmoderated user-generated content, of course some users will post absolutely any kinds of content including porn. There's even official pornhub server.
wly_cdgr 6y ago
Lol