Discord Acquires Company Known for Anti-Harassment Artificial Intelligence Software

Discord has acquired a company that is known for producing artificial intelligence software that can be used to combat harassment online.

The online chat platform purchased Sentropy, which previously worked with Twitter to help users clean up their Twitter feeds.

"Three years after starting this company with Michele, Ethan, and Taylor, I'm thrilled to announce that we're joining Discord to continue fighting against hate and abuse on the internet," Sentropy CEO and Co-Founder John Redgrave said in an announcement posted online.

Redgrave went on to thank those who supported the company from the very beginning. "While this is the end of our Sentropy chapter, it is definitely not the end of our story. As Discord, we're still building the internet we deserve - where everyone belongs," he said to conclude the announcement.

Discord Acquires Sentropy: What is Sentropy?

Discord's newest acquisition makes use of an artificial intelligence system that monitors and tracks online networks and platforms then removes forms of harassment and abuse it finds.

According to TechCrunch, Sentropy launched last year after receiving financial backing from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and his VC firm Initialized Capital, King River Capital, among others.

TechCrunch also described Sentropy's anti-harassment AI tools as "social network-agnostic tools rather than as platform-specific solutions."

What the Acquisition Means for Both Discord and Sentropy

Per a report by The Verge, Sentropy is shutting down its independent tools now that the company has been purchased by Discord.

Customers who have been using Sentropy's Detect and Defend products may continue to do so until September 30, 2021.

Discord is planning on integrating the products of their new acquisition into their existing toolkit. Sentropy's leadership will likewise be brought into the company.

According to Sentropy's CEO, the focus of Sentropy will be to "expand and evolve" Discord's Trust and Safety capabilities. "We are also inspired by Discord's commitment to knowledge-sharing and capability-building in the content moderation space, as exemplified by their Moderator Academy," he said.

Related Article: Discord Purges More Extremists Communities Than Last Year

Discord Moderating

Discord's acquisition of an anti-harassment AI software company will clearly help the online chat platform's moderation efforts. Moderating is not easy to do on Discord, especially with its more than 150 million monthly users and more than 19 million individual communities.

According to the TechCrunch report, Discord currently has an in-house moderating team, volunteer mods, and admins that comprise its moderating efforts. There is also a Trust and Safety team, which is in charge of "protecting users and shaping content moderation policies."

Discord has made some effort to rid its platform of content that can be considered as abuse or harassment. In 2018, Discord shut down alt-right, Nazi, and white nationalist servers on the platform. Last April, the company also announced that it will be restricting users from accessing adult content.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isabella James