For many, Discord the popular group-chatting platform originally designed for gamers made their pandemic survivable.
This Discord has been my rock through the pandemic, says Callie, an admin for the server of the popular artist-hosted Death Panel podcast. It was the single best mental health decision I made over the pandemic.
Initially designed in 2015, Discord came to be known as Slack for gamers, allowing them to socialize with friends via fluid synchronous and asynchronous communication channels, like text messaging and voice or video calling. Yet within the past couple years, the app has crossed over into other online communities and been embraced by podcasters, Youtubers, and more looking to create a more private networking space.
Describing Discords uniqueness is challenging: with its text-based channels and ability to DM or group chat, its similar to Slack or Microsoft Teams. But Discord also provides a range of communication features including video and music streaming, and the ability to fluidly jump onto a voice call or participate in an in-depth text-based conversation.
Like Zoom, the pandemic gave tremendous growth to Discord it now has over 140 million active monthly users and 6.7 million active servers. Discord, however, is not open-source software. While its free to use, users are encouraged to upgrade to Nitro status in order to access greater individual features, as well as be able to boost their favorite servers. And like many digital forums, its also embraced by anti-government extremists and GameStop financial speculators. While Discord managed to purge its initial predominance of white supremacists by enacting more aggressive trust and safety policies, these issues remain ongoing. Now that Microsoft is currently in talks to acquire it in a rumored $10 billion dollar deal, the greater question remains of what ownership looks like for its server-based communities.
Nonetheless, Discord is worth looking at closely, especially if you follow online communities. In being shaped by its early adopters of gamers and game developers, those values of identity creation and play now imbue its platform. As more artists, artist-run organizations, and even podcasters are entering the fray, heres a glance at how theyre using it to build community and navigate what it means to stay connected during this ongoing pandemic.
For Lee Tusman, a co-organizer with Babycastles, Discord has emerged as just one part of a wider digital infrastructure enabling the NYC-based video game collective to continue its programming during the pandemic. For over 10 years, the collectively-run DIY arts organization has made it its mission to foster and amplify diverse voices in video game culture. Prior to the pandemic, much of its public programming like the monthly computational performance event series or weekly co-working night ran out of its small Union Square gallery space. Now, these events happen via the live streaming platform Twitch or the open-source video-conferencing tool Jitsi Meet.
But Tusman is realistic about what it means to leverage for-profit online communication platforms.
These platforms arent inherently democratic. Were a collective and a DIY artist-run organization, the artist and curator said. [When] we try to translate some of our previous live type culture to these platforms, we have to hack them to make them work for us. [] Discord fits into that suite of platforms and tools that we use, but its one of many, and we have to consider the ways they can serve us, or not.
In a way, Discord has become the online hub in which Babycastles community now gathers: creator resources and professional opportunities are circulated, but its also a dumping ground for memes, streams, or programming hacks.
According to Babycastles co-organizer Flan Falacci, the Discord has enabled the organization to gain a deeper understanding of its community. The Introductions channel, for instance, encourages visitors to acquaint themselves in a more fulsome way not likely possible in-person. You might meet someone at an event, but you might not necessarily know everything about them right away, Falacci explains. So this format of writing a bio, almost to introduce yourself in a space and for everyone to see it I feel like it does bring us closer to the community, just in terms of knowing who people are and what their backgrounds are.
Its recent residency program was able to accommodate applications from outside of New York City, with the Discord continuing to keep discussions alive. And when in-person events become possible in the future, Babycastles wants to continue to engage this digital infrastructure to sustain its now broader community-based network: It would be a shame if we lost that ability to do that, says Falacci.
Worldbot, a Discord-based bot game created by game designer and critical creator Kaelan Doyle Myerscough, dives deeper into the apps asynchronous and secret communications for collaborative worldbuilding.
Theres a lot of game designers that are trying to create possibilities that exceed the kind of themes and stories weve seen in games, says Myerscough, alluding to the popularity of tabletop role playing games (RPGs) on Discord. Dungeons and Dragons, an enduring pen-and-paper RPG, focuses on a singular objective or subjectivity at the core of its worldbuilding. But indie game developers like Myerscough want to upend these mechanics: How do we make a game thats not about fighting or conquest or domination or competition? they ask. How do we create games that are creative, imaginative and radical?
Commissioned as an interactive online experience for a fall 2020 exhibition organized by Toronto-based arts organizations Trinity Square Video and DMG, Worldbot operates as a bot. Typically added to a Discord as a means of expanding its features, a bot can act as a community moderator, music-spinning DJ or even event scheduler.
Originating within a private server playtest where a small group of artists and game designers participated via a tabletop RPG, Worldbot unspools two visualizations of a collaboratively-shaped fictional world. These universes include a distant soft pink planet called Ana and a so-called planetary alignment festival with blooming magnolias. Text pop-ups, drawn from the participants own reflections, further contextualize these worlds. But they also allude to the IRL social conditions that shape them, like anxiety (Ana, after all, needs space because shes too overwhelmed) and environmentalism.
In developing the game, as well as participating in Discords via their involvement in gaming communities, Myerscough primarily sees Discords as a space for social and creative play. During the first lockdown, they organized Jamdemic, a month-long game jam via a Discord server encouraging game development inspired by the pandemic. They received over 30 submissions, resulting in atypical game fare like a social distancing dating sims or a crowd control simulator. At a time when our screen-based work and play remains blurred, they see Discords as a throwback to when websites were portals to chat rooms or Neopet-filled virtual playgrounds.
Once you know the link, you can get in, and go there whenever you want, explains Myerscough. It gives me the same feeling that I had when I was younger on the early internet, before everything became part of our online brands or reputations.
When artists Beatrice Adler-Bolton and Artie Vierkant began using a private Discord server in support of their podcast, Death Panel, it was largely as a tool to record episodes. Alongside co-hosts Vince Patti and public policy scholar Phil Rocco, the twice-weekly podcast focuses on health care policy, culture, and politics from a leftist perspective. By fall 2019, they created a separate, public server, intended as a small community hub for its listeners and Patreon supporters. This pace accelerated, naturally, during the pandemic.
When COVID-19 hit, people who had been pretty casual on the server started getting more involved. It became a resource to try and sort through disinformation, observes Adler-Bolton. Much of Death Panels inception originated from the disability/health justice activists own challenges with the healthcare system. Diagnosed with a rare vascular autoimmune disease, her arduous experience navigating the administrative hoops and hurdles for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) was radicalizing. Given Death Panels beat, the pandemic not only highlighted the urgency of issues like universal health care and income inequality, but also galvanized the podcasts community to organize and support one another.
Its really not ours anymore, says Vierkant of the server with over 700 members from several different countries, an accessible community-led hub running with the volunteer support of a dozen community moderators. Alongside the typical channels expected of a podcast Discord community news and episode chats there are text-based channels focused on politics, illness and disability, book PDF sharing, and even selfies. Voice channels, meanwhile, are primarily for weekly live programming, like TV and movie streams, and even a weekly meetup.
We talk a lot about social reproductive theory on the show because its important for people to be thinking about and acting on big ideas right now, says Adler-Bolton regarding Death Panels openness to the community ownership that drives the podcasts Discord, inspiring its members to launch their own podcasts or Discords.
When I spoke with some of the Death Panel moderators in a Discord chat, many discussed the ways in which their participation opposed the vertical social hierarchies rampant in public online spaces like Twitter and Instagram. But they also talked about developing safety protocols to ensure community-led initiatives are truly barrier-free. Much of this is because many of the community members and moderators have disabilities themselves: Scott, one of the mods, is autistic and has an OCD diagnosis. He found Death Panels flexible horizontal approach to building community gave him the space to be more confident and able to engage in social interaction.
A key initiative has been its widely popular reading group which even has its own Soundcloud currently focused on the work of the late disability rights activist and author Marta Russell, who is best known for an extensive body of work looking at how disability intersects with capitalism and oppression. When I tuned in for one of the Sunday sessions last month, I appreciated the ways in which the text was treated as a jumping off point. Participants had the option of partaking via the voice or text channels that were happening simultaneously. Customized emojis in the text channel emerged as a visual shorthand to signal when a participant wanted to speak, or offer their thoughts.
The idea was to make the discussions in the group as accessible as possible to push back against the hierarchical and abelist aspects of a traditional learning environment a key tenet is you dont have to do the reading to be in reading group, explains papaya.official, one of the moderators of the reading group.
As semi-private online spaces allow people to disconnect from singular, corporatized online identities, Discords are providing flexibility and safety for those seeking affinity spaces. And, at a time when many question institutions abilities to fully grasp the ways in which the pandemic has upended collective trust, theres potential in the ways online social interactions and gatherings can be reconsidered.Its like part-peer support group, part-collaborative creative thinking, part-grad school level class, part-utopian brainstorming, part-party/casual hang out, says Casey of the potentiality of the gatherings on Death Panels Discord. And all the richness feels really in line with this larger project of community care and mutual aid.
As arts communities around the world experience a time of challenge and change, accessible, independent reporting on these developments is more important than ever.
Please consider supporting our journalism, and help keep our independent reporting free and accessible to all.
Become a Member
Read the original post:
How Artists Used the Discord App to Build Community During COVID-19 - Hyperallergic
- How to Deploy Jitsi Meet with Docker on Ubuntu 20.04 - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Jitsi Meet review | TechRadar - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Zoom vs Jitsi for video conferencing? | ONLYOFFICE Blog - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- IFrame API | Jitsi Meet - GitHub Pages - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Self-Hosting Guide - Debian/Ubuntu server | Jitsi Meet - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Best Video Calling Apps: Zoom, Skype, Hangouts, Jitsi And More On Test - Which? - Which? - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- When is it a good idea to turn off the camera during a video call - Aviation Analysis Wing - March 18th, 2022 [March 18th, 2022]
- Rwanda: Wave of Free Speech Prosecutions - Human Rights Watch - March 18th, 2022 [March 18th, 2022]
- 8x8 Video Conferencing API | 8x8 - February 19th, 2022 [February 19th, 2022]
- Video-as-a-Service Market is Expected to Generate Huge Profits by 2021 2026 Bulk Solids Handling - Bulk Solids Handling - October 3rd, 2021 [October 3rd, 2021]
- Android SDK Jitsi Meet Handbook - September 29th, 2021 [September 29th, 2021]
- Brave is taking the video conferencing fight to Zoom - Techradar - September 27th, 2021 [September 27th, 2021]
- Braves non-tracking, browser-based video conferencing tool is out of beta - TechCrunch - September 24th, 2021 [September 24th, 2021]
- Brave Talk, a new private video conferencing service tied to the web browser - InTallaght - September 24th, 2021 [September 24th, 2021]
- Brave gets a video call service integrated with the browser and leaves no traces The Clare People - The Clare People - September 24th, 2021 [September 24th, 2021]
- How To Install Jitsi Meet on Ubuntu 18.04 | DigitalOcean - August 2nd, 2021 [August 2nd, 2021]
- Zoom launches Zoom Apps and Zoom Events 'to empower the hybrid workforce' - iTWire - July 25th, 2021 [July 25th, 2021]
- Google Meets limiting free group calls to an hour what are your options? - The Next Web - July 14th, 2021 [July 14th, 2021]
- Its Official: We ODd on the Internet - OneZero - OneZero - June 13th, 2021 [June 13th, 2021]
- Is it the same as google duo? Explica .co - Explica - June 13th, 2021 [June 13th, 2021]
- Tips on Cybersecurity for Students and Teachers - Al-Fanar Media - June 4th, 2021 [June 4th, 2021]
- What is Jitsi Meet and how does it work the best free open source alternative to Zoom and Google Meet | Technology Explica .co - Explica - May 14th, 2021 [May 14th, 2021]
- Choose Your Own Adventure in the Virtual World - Observatory of Educational Innovation - April 19th, 2021 [April 19th, 2021]
- How to Self Host Jitsi Meet With Docker [Step by Step Guide] - March 11th, 2021 [March 11th, 2021]
- Protesting in the Age of Mass Surveillance - EFF - March 11th, 2021 [March 11th, 2021]
- Jitsi | Quick Install | Advance Configuraton | Some Fixes - March 7th, 2021 [March 7th, 2021]
- Market trends and outlook coupled with factors driving and restraining the growth of the Web Conferencing market Jumbo News - Jumbo News - February 16th, 2021 [February 16th, 2021]
- Jenny Turner Ready to Go Off LRB 18 February 2021 - London Review of Books - February 16th, 2021 [February 16th, 2021]
- Want a goat to stand in for you on Zoom? Itll cost you around R102 for 5 minutes - SowetanLIVE - February 8th, 2021 [February 8th, 2021]
- Keeping mindfulness and employee health at the forefront: app reviews - Tech Wire Asia - February 8th, 2021 [February 8th, 2021]
- Inside job: Why Zoombombing isnt as random as you might think - Digital Trends - February 8th, 2021 [February 8th, 2021]
- Tech Trends 2021: All You Need To Know - CCM - January 17th, 2021 [January 17th, 2021]
- Comprehensive Report on Web Conferencing Market 2021 | Trends, Growth Demand, Opportunities & Forecast To 2027 |IBM, ReadyTalk, Adobe, ezTalks,... - January 9th, 2021 [January 9th, 2021]
- Jitsi Meet: Open Source Zoom Alternative - December 19th, 2020 [December 19th, 2020]
- Jitsi Meet - Download - December 19th, 2020 [December 19th, 2020]
- How to Install Jitsi Meet on CentOS 8 - RoseHosting - December 19th, 2020 [December 19th, 2020]
- New 8x8 CEO expected to improve business operations - TechTarget - December 19th, 2020 [December 19th, 2020]
- Is HelmChat Free Helmet Comm Solution A Good Alternative? - RideApart - September 18th, 2020 [September 18th, 2020]
- How to recreate water cooler moments in the virtual workplace - Quartz - August 13th, 2020 [August 13th, 2020]
- Our right to health and the COVID-19 pandemic - Davao Today - June 13th, 2020 [June 13th, 2020]
- A look at how Jitsi became a 'secure' open-source alternative to Zoom - The Next Web - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- How the Covid-19 Lockdown Is Reshaping Uighur Activism - The Nation - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- TikTok now gives you one-tap access to streaming app Resso - The Next Web - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- Tips on Running a Remote Animation Studio - Animation World Network - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- Adapting from Home: This Weeks View of Video Meeting Triumphs and Concerns - Yahoo Finance - March 31st, 2020 [March 31st, 2020]
- 8 Best Zoom Alternatives for Video Conferencing and Webinars - Beebom - March 31st, 2020 [March 31st, 2020]
- Jitsi Downloads - iOS & Android apps; Jitsi Meet, & Jitsi ... - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- What Is the Most Secure Video Conferencing Software? - VICE - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- Home schooling tips: The things I wish I'd known before the schools went into lockdown - Telegraph.co.uk - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- Fox Sports 1 Utilized Video Call Center to Extend Reach of Shows Like The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Sports Video Group - December 22nd, 2019 [December 22nd, 2019]
- Fox Sports 1 Dials Up VCC for The Herd With Colin Cowherd - TV Technology - December 22nd, 2019 [December 22nd, 2019]
- Gladstone gold does club proud - Gladstone Observer - July 19th, 2017 [July 19th, 2017]
- Jitsi | Futurist Transhuman News Blog - euvolution.com - July 10th, 2017 [July 10th, 2017]
- FAQ | Jitsi | Prometheism.net euvolution.com | Futurist ... - July 5th, 2017 [July 5th, 2017]
- FAQ | Jitsi | Futurist Transhuman News Blog - June 29th, 2017 [June 29th, 2017]
- Tsirang vegetable vendors commit to selling local chillies - Kuensel, Buhutan's National Newspaper - June 27th, 2017 [June 27th, 2017]
- FAQ | Jitsi | Prometheism.net - euvolution.com - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- FAQ | Jitsi - June 25th, 2017 [June 25th, 2017]
- Jitsi - PediaView.com - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- How to Configure and Set-Up Jitsi - Liberty Under Attack - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Jitsi Meet (advanced) Projects - May 23rd, 2017 [May 23rd, 2017]
- Diaspora* and Other Free Software Are Available in the Occitan Language, Thanks to Volunteer Translators - Global Voices Online - May 23rd, 2017 [May 23rd, 2017]
- Online privacy guide for journalists - Radioinfo (subscription) - May 18th, 2017 [May 18th, 2017]
- Your Essential List of 7 Productivity Hacks and Time Management Tips - Business 2 Community - May 11th, 2017 [May 11th, 2017]
- Encrypted Chat Took Over. Let's Encrypt Calls, Too - Huffington Post - April 25th, 2017 [April 25th, 2017]
- 5 Apps You Didn't Know You Needed - Syracuse University News - April 3rd, 2017 [April 3rd, 2017]
- Jitsi Meet - Android Apps on Google Play - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- Snowden helping develop tools to protect journalists and whistleblowers - 'to make the game a little more fair' - Press Gazette - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Edward Snowden's New Job: Protecting Reporters From Spies - WIRED - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Jitsi for Windows - Secure Instant Messaging and VoIP - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Jitsi for Mac - Download - jitsi.en.softonic.com - February 6th, 2017 [February 6th, 2017]
- Jitsi softphone for Windows OnSIP Support - November 23rd, 2016 [November 23rd, 2016]
- Trying to install jitsi meet with apache2 - Stack Overflow - October 29th, 2016 [October 29th, 2016]
- Jitsi - Wikipedia - October 27th, 2016 [October 27th, 2016]
- Jitsi - Mensajera instantnea segura de texto, audio y ... - August 10th, 2016 [August 10th, 2016]
- Jitsi - Quora - May 31st, 2016 [May 31st, 2016]
- Chocolatey Gallery | Jitsi 2.8.5426 - May 28th, 2016 [May 28th, 2016]
- Jitsi - - May 24th, 2016 [May 24th, 2016]
- Jitsi - FreeBSD Wiki - May 22nd, 2016 [May 22nd, 2016]
- Jitsi - OSTN - Guardian Project Open Dev - May 21st, 2016 [May 21st, 2016]