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Definition: Discord


A popular text, audio and video chat service that runs on all major platforms from Discord Inc. Used initially in the gaming community, Discord was launched in 2015. Discord servers are organized by topics where people can hang out and chat with friends and colleagues. A fee is charged for higher-quality audio and video, and communities of any size can be set up with moderator tools. See chat.

The Discord Leaks
Discord quickly became a popular venue for venting political and anti-government rhetoric, but it became worldwide news when a leak of U.S. government documents from a Discord server was discovered. The leak culminated in the April 2023 arrest of 21-year-old Jack Teixeira (pronounced Teshera), a computer technician with top secret security clearance at Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Considered one of the most damaging leaks in U.S. history, Teixeira's position enabled him to release more than 300 classified documents on a Discord server dedicated to military gear and warfare. Many of the documents dealt with the Russia-Ukraine war, while others dealt with China and Taiwan. On December 23, 2023, a Frontline TV program covered the incident in great detail. Pleading "not guilty," Teixeira faces decades in prison.