Join us on Discord!
Bethel CT Pride’s Discord provides our community a place to communicate with like-minded individuals.
Discord is a digital communication tool that gained popularity in the gaming community but is now used by non-profits, businesses, hobby groups and more! Read on to learn what it is, how we use it and why, and tips for staying safe online.
How it works
Think of Bethel CT Pride “server” like a school. It is the overall destination where you go to connect with folx to discuss different topics as you would in different classrooms. In the Discord world, these classrooms are referred to as “channels.”
There are three ways to communicate on Discord: text chat, which is open at all times; voice chat, which is open for certain topics; and video chat, which is only open on special occasions such as online events.
We selected Discord as our online community meeting place for its:
- Ability to participate anonymously
- Ability to monitor participation / limit abusive content
- Ability for users to look back at conversations and find resources, as needed
- Easy-to-use interface, ability to use on desktop or mobile device, good up-time (nerdy technical wins!)
If you are new to Discord, we recommend watching this video!
Safety & Rules
Like a school, our Bethel CT-Pride Discord server has rules (see the #rules channel on the server). These rules are enforced in a few ways:
- Automated bots will flag inconsiderate language, which will elicit either a detention, suspension, or full expulsion from the server depending on the severity of abuse
- Moderators will routinely check and ensure that everyone is playing nice in the virtual sandbox. Users can report abuse to moderators to have users either warned or removed from the server, again based on the situation at hand. Megamoderator is Honorah O’Neill!
Age Appropriateness
We abide by Discord’s terms of service, which state you must be at least 13 years old to use the platform. (Most social media platforms follow this same age requirement.)
The server has rooms for participants of all ages, from 13 to 113! Some are specific to certain age groups, while others are open to all. Topics include things like book club, games, music, and art.
We suggest that users who may not be able to form good judgement and advocate for themselves participate under the supervision of a parent or guardian.
Private Messaging Safety
Similar to AOL or Yahoo chatrooms of yore, Discord does allow users to privately message each other. This can be very awesome when making new friends! But if someone is privately messaging you and making you uncomfortable, let us know and we will intervene. (See the #rules channel on the server for how to report to the megamoderator.)
Don’t forget!
Never give out your private information to a stranger! If you form a connection, be it friendly or romantic, and are of age (18+) and considering to meet IRL, read these tips on how to proceed safely:
It is important to be informed about both the risks and rewards of having a presence online. We offer these links to help you, or a family member/friend/colleague, to confidently and securely navigate the web. If you have other resources to help our community stay safe, please let us know!
Have questions? Email us info@bethelctpride.com