Discord Announces End-to-End Encryption for Audio and Video Calls
Discord, one of the largest group chat apps in the world, recently made an exciting announcement. The platform will now offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for audio and video calls, ensuring that even Discord itself will not have access to the content of these conversations. This move aligns Discord with other popular chat apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal, and Facebook Messenger, which have already implemented end-to-end encryption.
The Evolution of End-to-End Encryption
In the last decade, end-to-end encrypted chat has evolved from being a rare exception to becoming a standard feature in the world’s most popular chat apps. Initially, end-to-end encryption was limited to a few platforms like Skype in the mid-2000s. However, as people began to prioritize privacy and security, the demand for encrypted communication grew. Today, millions of users rely on encrypted chat apps to protect their conversations from unauthorized access.
Discord’s Journey to End-to-End Encryption
Discord, originally designed as a group chat platform for gamers, quickly gained popularity beyond the gaming community. It became a go-to app for anyone looking to interact with a large number of people. With a user base of approximately 200 million monthly users, Discord recognized the importance of implementing end-to-end encryption.
Last year, Discord announced its plans to introduce end-to-end encryption, starting with audio and video calls. The company emphasized the significant number of people using Discord for calls at any given moment, highlighting the need to prioritize user privacy. Now, Discord is rolling out this technology, ensuring that voice and video calls in direct messages (DMs), group DMs, voice channels, and Go Live streams are all end-to-end encrypted.
Understanding the Technical Details
Stephen Birarda, Discord’s staff software engineer on audio/video infrastructure, provided insights into the technical aspects of the end-to-end encryption implementation. He explained that the encryption keys used for media are unique to each call and are generated and destroyed for each session. Birarda also mentioned that Discord is releasing a paper on its encryption protocol and open-sourcing the code, demonstrating the company’s commitment to transparency.
Limitations of Discord’s End-to-End Encryption
While audio and video calls on Discord will be end-to-end encrypted, it is important to note that private messages will not have the same level of encryption. Discord’s content moderation approach will continue to apply to messages, and they will not be end-to-end encrypted. This ensures that Discord can uphold its safety policies and provide a secure environment for its users.
Future Plans for Encryption
Discord has no immediate plans to roll out end-to-end encryption for other areas of its platform, such as direct messages or group chats. However, the fact that Discord is taking steps to enhance encryption for audio and video calls is a positive sign. It shows that the company is prioritizing user privacy and security, which may lead to further encryption advancements in the future.
Conclusion
Discord’s decision to implement end-to-end encryption for audio and video calls is a significant step forward for the platform and its users. By providing this additional layer of security, Discord is joining the ranks of other popular chat apps that prioritize user privacy. While the encryption does not extend to private messages, Discord’s commitment to transparency through the release of protocols and code demonstrates its dedication to creating a secure environment. As technology continues to advance, it is crucial that communication platforms evolve to protect user data and maintain user trust.
