Discord Adopts New Warning System

Discord announced plenty of new changes this week that build on some updates users have already seen gradually being rolled out and teased over the past couple of weeks, and one of those new changes is an updated policy that should be welcome news for those who feel they've every been unclearly banned or restricted from using Discord features. The platform announced this week plans to adopt a warning system for Discord users that's intended to more accurately explain why someone's actions have violated Discord's policies instead of that person being issued an immediate ban, though there are of course some instances that'll still warrant that.

The new warning feature is one that's going to be available next week, Discord said, with full details to come soon, but for now, we have an idea already of how it'll work.

Discord's New Warning System

While many who've been banned from using Discord services in that past probably have had a good idea of what they've been banned for, having an understanding of where your Discord accounts stands overall and what, exactly, the process was for arriving at that ban hasn't always been so clear. The new warning system looks to alleviate some of those frustrations by letting people know exactly what it was they did that warranted action so that people have "a chance to reflect and change their behavior," Discord said.

This new system starts with a direct message users will receive which will include a breakdown of the offending post in question as illustrated in the example provided above by Discord. After seeing whatever naughty message it was that you sent that prompted the punishment, you'll see the actions taken below that offending post. Some of those ramping actions listed in the example were things like the inability to send messages or upload files for a limited time as well as details on how long this negative mark will stay on your account. You'll also be able to see in the same pop-up an option that'll take you to your account standing where you'll be able to see the perhaps multiple marks against you.

While the new warning system should provide users with a bit more clarity regarding actions being taken against them and how they can correct their behavior in the future, there will be some instances that warrant something a bit swifter and harsher than a warning. Discord provided some examples of some of those zero-tolerance infractions and said that actions will be taken accordingly based on situations that fit those examples.

"However, some violations are more serious than others, and we'll take appropriate action depending on the severity of the violation," Discord said. "For example, we have and will continue to have a zero-tolerance policy towards violent extremism and content that sexualizes children."

More info on this new system will be shared soon as part of Discord's updated Safety News Hub.