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A popular video game chat service with 45 million-plus users just shut down the alt-right following Charlottesville

Matt Weinberger Β Β 

A popular video game chat service with 45 million-plus users just shut down the alt-right following Charlottesville
Tech2 min read

discord ceo jason citron

Discord

Discord CEO Jason Citron

Discord, a red-hot chat app for video game players, announced via Twitter that it was taking action to ban the alt-right from its platform following a white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville that turned deadly this past weekend. 

"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," read the statement, in part. 

Discord is a venture-backed service providing voice- and text-chat services to over 45 million monthly active users. It's been called "Skype for gamers," though it's found a certain measure of popularity with other groups, as well. Altright.com, a popular news source for the alt-right, maintained a server on Discord for its community to chat.

The move to ban the alt-right from Discord comes as other social platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, come under scrutiny for allegedly allowing violent political ideologies to grow unchecked. 

The immediate reaction from Discord users on Twitter was mixed: Some were grateful to Discord for taking a stand, while others voiced concerns that this move was tantamount to censorship. 

Discord did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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