On February 25, Discord announced a major update to the service's policy on controlling the spread of health misinformation. The new rules will come into effect on March 28. Users will be prohibited from posting false or misleading medical information that could be harmful to health, as well as organizing and promoting relevant communities.

The list of prohibited topics includes:

anti-vaccination materials;

promotion of unapproved and hazardous drugs;

materials that distort data on diseases;

any content that interferes with the resolution of a public health emergency.

Also, in the appeal of the service, "particularly dangerous" topics are specified:

the safety, side effects, or efficacy of vaccines;

ngredients, development or approval of vaccines;

alternative, unproven treatments for diseases, including the promotion of harmful forms of self-medication, refusal to vaccinate or an alternative to vaccination;

the presence or prevalence of the disease [probably refers to issues such as denying the existence of HIV or refusing to acknowledge the widespread prevalence of COVID19];

transmission or symptoms of disease;

health advice, such as false claims about preventive measures and actions that may interfere with the resolution of a public health emergency;

access to or eligibility for healthcare services; and any content that alleges a health conspiracy.

Discord defines false and misleading information as content that directly and unambiguously contradicts the consensus reached by the medical community. To be blocked, the posted material or user actions must pose a real threat: increasing the risk of contracting an infectious disease, creating an undue burden on public health systems, inciting panic or unrest with conspiracy slogans.

The service will also prohibit users from posting and promoting harmful content that attempts to influence public opinion with sensationalist, panicky, or hyperbolic language, as well as any content that repeats widely debunked health claims, unsubstantiated rumors, or conspiracy theories.‍

In the event of a violation, Discord may take any action, up to a complete blocking of accounts and servers. The severity of the violation is determined by several factors:

assessment of the potential harm that may be caused by the material;

there is an obvious attempt to convince people that false or misleading information is true;

the number of previously identified violations.

Discord notes that it allows the sharing of personal health experiences, opinions and comments (provided that such views are based on facts and will not lead to harm), conscientious discussions about medicine and research. You are allowed to post content intended to denounce or rebut health misinformation, as well as material that makes fun of false or misleading health claims.

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