Talking about interpersonal communication during games is almost synonymous with talking about Discord. The platform has managed to win over players and is now a little more private. Because? Because after a long testing phase, Discord has been updated with end-to-end encryption for both voice and video calls. But the messages will still not be encrypted, but let’s go in parts.

Wait, what is encryption? Roughly speaking, when we send a message, it leaves our mobile phone, passes through the platform’s server and reaches the recipient. If the message is not encrypted, someone, such as the platform itself or a third party, can intercept the message and access its content. End-to-end encryption prevents this.

What it does, without going into technical details, is encrypt the message on our device, ensuring that only the recipient has the key to decrypt the message. Even if the message passes through a server or is intercepted, its content cannot be accessed. That’s why it’s called end-to-end (you) to end-to-end (recipient) encryption. This is available in applications like WhatsApp or Signal, for example.

E2EE A/V. Knowing this, we can better understand the importance of Discord implementing E2EE A/V, or end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls. Codenamed DAVE (Discord’s End-to-End Audio and Video EncryptionAs explained by the company, this system will now apply to “voice calls and video calls made via MDs, MD groups, voice channels, and Go Live broadcasts.” The company has also released a more technical article explaining how it works, as well as Technical Report. According to Discord:

“E2EE A/V will be enabled by default on PC and mobile for those who update Discord. We will begin rolling out support to other customers, such as those using the web version or console, next year” .

Video and audio only. Encryption, as we mentioned before, will only be available for calls and video calls, not messages. These are subject to Dicord’s moderation rules, in order to “continue to provide some additional security measures.” There are a lot of young people on Discord, and the platform prefers prevention rather than cure.

Measures used to moderate content include reviewing files. Image Hashing (e.g. to identify CSAM), machine learning models to detect “bad actors”, and investigations into workers.

Another interesting measure: Toggle switches. On the other hand, Discord has been updated to offer support for Passkeys. This means that we can log in with just a few words without entering a password. We will just need to use the biometric system of our smartphone. You can find instructions on how to enable this new login on the Discord support platform.

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