Discord, a popular messaging platform, is facing a significant privacy issue as the data-scraping tool Spy.Pet tracks and archives user activity across numerous servers. According to a report by 404 Media, Spy.Pet offers detailed logs of user messages for a fee paid in cryptocurrency, currently tracking over 627 million Discord user accounts and more than 14,200 servers. This activity directly violates Discord’s Terms of Service, which prohibit data scraping without explicit permission.
The implications for user privacy are severe, with potential for misuse by stalkers, bullies, and other malicious actors. Despite these concerns, the tool has seen extensive use, with over 4 billion messages scraped. Discord has responded to the issue, with a spokesperson stating that they are investigating the matter and will enforce policies against any service violations identified.
Additionally, Discord’s Transparency Report highlighted that harassment remains a significant issue within the platform, with over 56,000 reports in a recent three-month period. Other concerns such as impersonation and hateful conduct also featured prominently in user complaints.
This situation underscores the ongoing challenges platforms like Discord face in balancing openness with user safety and privacy. As the investigation continues, the community awaits further actions from Discord to curb unauthorized data access and protect its users.
