Discord Bans Alt-Right Servers and Users Following Charlottesville Clash

Discord, a voice and text chat service targeted to gamers, has banned several alt-right servers and users following the clash at Charlottesville last week.

In a statement titled “Love. Not hate,” the company issued a warning to “all forms of hate.”

“Discord’s mission is to bring people together around gaming. We’re about positivity and inclusivity. Not hate. Not violence,” they declared. “Today, we’ve shut down the altright.com server and a number of accounts associated with the events in Charlottesville. We will continue to take action against white supremacy, nazi ideology, and all forms of hate.”

Love. Not hate. pic.twitter.com/5xFpvHTuI2

— Discord (@discordapp) August 14, 2017

In another tweet, Discord claimed they do not “read people’s private conversations and censorship is a slippery slope.”

“We will take action when people violate our Guidelines/ToS, and actively endorse violence against others,” they continued.

Discord does not read people's private conversations and censorship is a slippery slope. We will take action when people violate our…

— Discord (@discordapp) August 14, 2017

…Guidelines/ToS, and actively endorse violence against others.

— Discord (@discordapp) August 14, 2017

The company took action after activist and journalist Laura Loomer posted several purported Discord screenshots of alt-right users allegedly planning to interrupt the funeral of a protester who was killed in Charlottesville.

SCOOP: "Weev", the system administrator for The Daily Stormer is planning on sending Nazis to #HeatherHeyer funeral. #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/opXP1WvPV1

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

SCOOP: Notorious hacker & Daily Stormer system admin "Weev":

"What I'd like to do is #DailyStormer branded guns." pic.twitter.com/3oq75qkc8X

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

SCOOP: member of #DailyStormer "Your Personal Army" vetted chat group:

"I will bring weapons to (Heather Heyer's) funeral."

Cc: @FBI pic.twitter.com/ajnBidt9Pk

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

Cc: @discordapp

Daily Stormer posting about bringing weapons to #Charlottesville victim's funeral.

Are you aware of this? https://t.co/Yt0Kf97cDk

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

I wonder how "The #DailyStormer " feels knowing that they have been infiltrated by a Jew. ✡️

STOP Political Violence. #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/haWkjlTvwF

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

#DailyStormer Discord ID #:

216305203035635715

"I will bring weapons to [Heather Heyer's] funeral." — DS poster known as "Kombat-Unit" https://t.co/yphS4msp8Q

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

Thank you @discordapp for quick reply & announcement of investigation into #DailyStormer threat to bring weapons to #HeatherHeyer funeral https://t.co/LAvYhOfDRT

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 14, 2017

After being questioned whether they would suspend Antifa and far left servers, Discord replied that they would “take action against any servers that are found to be violating our Guidelines and ToS, esp for inciting violence against people.”

I assume your going to shut down far leftists, atifa, and black live matters servers aswell right?

— Skullrain (@Skullrain_) August 14, 2017

We take action against any servers that are found to be violating our Guidelines and ToS, esp for inciting violence against people…

— Discord (@discordapp) August 14, 2017

…If you have any info on people violating our Guidelines/ToS, please report them to abuse@discordapp.com.

— Discord (@discordapp) August 14, 2017

Other tech companies have taken steps against far-right groups in the wake of the violent Charlottesville clashes. Both GoDaddy and Google cut off domain service to neo-Nazi site The Daily Stormer this week. The website is currently offline.