In Discord Bot development, Privileged Intents are something you cannot avoid. They are special permissions for a bot to access user information and server information, and they were introduced from the perspective of Discord’s privacy protection.
Bot developers need to understand the mechanism and how to obtain Privileged Intents and protect the privacy of users responsibly.
Why Privileged Intents Are Necessary
Discord emphasizes the protection of user privacy. For this reason, in order for a Bot to access user information and server information, special permission called Privileged Intents is necessary.
Privileged Intents protect user privacy by restricting the types of information that a Bot can access. Bot developers need to be careful to access only the information they need and not infringe on user privacy.
Types and Uses of Privileged Intents
The main three types of Privileged Intents that can be used in Discord Bot development are as follows:
1. Presence Intent:
- Use: Used to access presence information, such as a user’s online status, activity, and gameplay status.
- Example Uses:
- Assign roles to users who are playing a particular game
- Send messages based on a user’s status
- Collect user statistics based on activity
2. Server Members Intent:
- Use: Used to access information such as the server’s member list, each member’s nickname, roles, and join date.
- Example Uses:
- Display server member statistics
- Send messages to users with a specific role
- Send welcome messages based on user join dates
- Back up the server’s member list
3. Message Content Intent:
- Use: Used to access the content of messages sent by users.
- Example Uses:
- Detect and delete messages containing banned words
- Automatically respond based on the message content
- Perform sentiment analysis of messages
How to Obtain Privileged Intents
To obtain Privileged Intents, follow these steps:
- Access the Discord Developer Portal: Go to the Discord Developer Portal and log in with your Discord account.
- Select an Application: Select the Bot for which you want to enable Privileged Intents from the list of applications.
- Open the Bot Tab: Select the “Bot” tab from the menu on the left.
- Display the Privileged Gateway Intents Section: Scroll down to the “Privileged Gateway Intents” section.
- Enable the Necessary Intents: Turn on the toggle switch for the required Privileged Intents.
Important Points for Obtaining Privileged Intents
- Settings in Code: In addition to enabling Privileged Intents, you also need to set the intents in the Bot’s code.
- Application and Approval: If you are operating the Bot on more than 100 servers, you need to apply to Discord for the use of Privileged Intents and obtain approval.
- Restrictions on Message Content Intent: Because Message Content Intent is highly related to user privacy, the requirements for obtaining it are strict. You may need to consider alternatives.
FAQ About Privileged Intents
Q. Even if I enable Privileged Intents, the Bot doesn’t work.
A. Please check that the intents are set correctly in the Bot’s code.
Q. My application for Message Content Intent is not being approved.
A. To obtain Message Content Intent, you need to explain in detail the purpose of the bot, how the data will be used, and the privacy protection measures. Please read the Discord guidelines carefully and review your application.
Q. Can I develop a Bot without using Privileged Intents?
A. Yes, it is possible. However, the information that can be accessed is limited, which also limits the functionality of the Bot.
Privileged Intents are an important concept in Discord Bot development. By understanding the intents needed for a Bot and setting them up appropriately, you can maximize the functionality of the Bot while protecting user privacy.