Message Loggers are plugins that allow users to view deleted & edited Discord messages.

Features

 
This is how deleted messages look like
 
This is how edited messages look like

Message loggers allow users to see:

  • Recently deleted messages. A red text indicates the deleted messages.
  • Recently edited messages. A gray text indicates the edited message.

Versions (selection)

Controversy

Use of MessageLoggers is very controversial in the community, with multiple client mods such as BetterDiscord[1] and Powercord[2] prohibiting their usage outright and theme developers who vehemently oppose them have attempted to block users of it in the past, only to later revert their changes.

Common reasons are that they "violate user privacy" and "Discord's privacy policy and API terms," with multiple sources claiming that using loggers poses a risk to your account.[1]

While the morality of their usage is debatable, claims that message loggers are dangerous are nothing more than blatant disinformation. As all the functionality provided by these plugins is performed client-side, without interacting with the API or gateway, it is impossible for these plugins to pose a risk by simply using them.

Furthermore, there have been no documented cases of users getting their accounts banned just for even revealing they use message loggers. As a result, such plugins still see wide usage across practically all client mods, even on those that officially prohibit them.

Additionally, Discord's Developer terms of service only apply to "access to and use of the [Discord] APIs"[3]. Since logger plugins entirely rely on data the client already has, these terms can't be applied to them.

The only applicable term from the terms of service is the disallowance of modifying Discord services, which client mods themselves break. As this is not unique to message loggers, using this term to single out message loggers explicitly is inappropriate as well.

Citations

  1. 1.0 1.1 "BetterDiscord FAQ point 11". Message loggers are in violation discord's API terms and privacy policy, and can result in account termination. We will not provide such plugins
  2. "Powercord Guidelines point 2". Archived from the original on 2021-03-14. End User Data of other users must be handled with caution with regards to privacy. For example, logging all deleted messages is prohibited.
  3. "Discord Developer Terms of Service".