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I remember a while ago I was very much in the "I guess it's ok to use Discord, even if I don't like it". A number of tech/programming communities are there, and
by 2pEXgD0fZ5cF 5y ago
I remember a while ago I was very much in the "I guess it's ok to use Discord, even if I don't like it". A number of tech/programming communities are there, and so I participated despite having a bad feeling about it.
Now more recently I started receiving my first "hey we believe there is something wrong with your account, attach a (first time, new) phone number to it to join this server". That is most likely a lie of course, Discord just wants to blackmail me into giving them my phone number. Also apparently there is an option to make an attached phone number mandatory in order to join a server, which quite a number communities activate for some reason.
So it turns out the bad feeling was correct.
- redwolf22 5y agoIts more likely that they just want the number for Multi-factor authentication. Not that I like, that every site now asks for a phone number. But it is more of a security reason. Otherwise there must be real people involved in oder to restore your account. It also insures that most of the user accounts are no sock puppets. Not every user has access to vast ammounts of mobile phone numbers. Another great thread, describing this dilemma is "Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29108662 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29108662 In discords defense: It was never made for open source projects in mind, but gamers and small private communities. Having a free service provided might come with traps and pitfalls, but I would prefer that over having only paid online services. Choose your poison. I don't think discord is the right choice for FOSS communities.
- jrootabega 5y agoIt's to prevent people from creating unlimited "anonymous" accounts. Phone numbers cost money and are, in many cases, something that can identify you if needed.
- redwolf22 5y agoAh sorry. I did not see your comment while editing mine to include this argument as well.
- heavyset_go 5y agoIt's also a good way to signal to investors and advertising partners about how many real humans actively use their services versus how many bots are using them.
- Sebb767 5y ago> Its more likely that they just want the number for Multi-factor authentication. You can do that with an app or an U2F key. You don't need a phone number for that and, in fact, SMS-based 2FA is mostly discouraged by now due to sim swapping attacks. So it boils down to avoiding sock puppets (most likely IMO) and to collect your data (which is something nice to get on top).
- indrora 5y agoThe reason for having SMS-based 2FA as a default is that it's At least something. Adding a U2F token and having SMS as a backup means that you don't have people locked out because their yubikey failed -- which happens. Discord is trying to solve some of the bootstrapping problems that arise from "oh fuck my computer and phone were both stolen" -- which, again, happens.
- minimaul 5y agoWhile it's annoying, the reason communities activate this is to reduce spam/bot accounts. It's a big problem on Discord and requiring a phone number linked to the account helps quite a bit :(
- OtomotO 5y agoSame goes for twitch. Found this cozy stream and followed. Was called out, wished a merry christmas. Wanted to say thanks, but couldn't, because apparently "verified accounts only chat" is a thing. Well, not gonna share my phone number with the world. My phone number is kinda holy to me.
- unixhero 5y agoUhm that thing about the phone number is a totally losing battle. You should adapt by getting a burner phone with a separate number.
- OtomotO 5y agoOr I just don't use such services. I know it's not en vogue, but abstinence is one possible solution. I don't feel like having to pay 10€/year for a burner phone (so the SIM isn't deactivated) It's fine, I can live without most of these services just fine. And if I can't any longer, I will walk that bridge then.
- unixhero 5y agoHow do you achieve multi factor auth at all then, if you regard tour phone number to be a secret.
- say_it_as_it_is 5y agoI get robo-called and scam-called every day, several times a day. Do you? I am interested to know whether your cautious behavior involving sharing phone numbers helps you to avoid this sort of attention.
- 2pEXgD0fZ5cF 5y agoI haven't even thought about it that way yet. I just generally want to avoid sharing things with companies unless really necessary. But no, I rarely if ever receive calls of that kind.
- busymom0 5y agoI get spam calls every day and they leave voicemails. Until a few months ago, I had disabled incoming calls on my phone because of this but recently had to activate it for a specific reason. Often, the spam calls spoof the number to be either my OWN number or my area code too.
- slashink 5y agoPhone number verification is purely one of many ways for Discord to drive down the amount of spam. Not used for any other purposes. We’re ofc working hard on enabling alternative solutions. Source: I lead the anti-abuse team at Discord
- bruce343434 5y ago> Not used for any other purposes ...for now. I'll never give out my phone number to discord. The messages aren't even E2E encrypted.
- slashink 5y agoI understand the concern, trust me. We’re working on alternative methods.
- greyface- 5y agoProvide a specific commitment. What methods, and when will they become available? "We're working on it" is worthless and when I'm told this I assume I am being blown off.
- pndy 5y agoSo let's say that in the future you got this alternative method deployed but then, what happens with already acquired phone numbers? Will you remove it once this method will be running nicely? Or you'll keep phone numbers giving a promise you won't use it to anything naughty and users will have choice to either keep it for "security purposes", or they will have ability to remove it by themselves directly from the client or by going the longer way, asking support to remove it from account data? Can you tell which solutions were considered so far? Also, not sure if you're aware there but in some countries it's no longer possible to use SIM card without registering it first under name and last name and that means, the state has a possibility to track your online presence.
- 2pEXgD0fZ5cF 5y agoIf you give me the option to verify my account for 1$ or something like that instead, I'd much prefer and just use that and accept it as an alternative. If phone number is enforced as the only option, I find it hard to believe that spam is the only reason you want it and that the phone number won't be used for other things (in the future). As has been said, there is sadly little reason to trust a company in that regard. Usages of user data are always expanded upon, official (or unofficial) promises from companys aren't worth anything, and leaks also happen all the time.
- alexiaya 5y agoDiscord already has a huge problem with spam as-is. Yes, it may suck to be randomly locked out of your account when you haven't done anything wrong, but if they removed the requirement altogether it would just open the floodgates even more. Even if you don't trust them fully, they're not some random shady website that's likely to leak your number or use it for advertising. I've been regularly providing my phone number to big services like Discord for years and have never once received spam calls or texts for them. In the incredibly rare case that I do get spam it's always some Hungarian number rather than a foreign one, and they probably just got my number from some public database. It's much more common to get spam via email instead. Either way, it's pretty easy to get a burner SIM or use Google Voice (if you're in the US), or services like getsmscode.com which provide disposable phone numbers that work with hundreds of major services for 10 cents per SMS, and you can even pay with crypto.
- heavyset_go 5y agoIt feels like more than a coincidence that the flavor of "security" that comes out of these companies hinges on infringements of ever increasing amounts of their users' privacy. > Even if you don't trust them fully, they're not some random shady website that's likely to leak your number or use it for advertising. The last few years of leaks and hacks say that trust should never be implicit. Every company has the incentive to use your data for profit.
- wott 5y ago> It feels like more than a coincidence that the flavor of "security" that comes out of these companies hinges on infringements of ever increasing amounts of their users' privacy. It is the same as in politics: saying 'because security', is a very convenient and easy way to get about anything accepted, little by little.