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Brazil Files $97 Million Lawsuit Against Discord Over Child Protection Failures
BRASILIA – The Brazilian government has taken legal action against Discord, suing the popular messaging and voice chat platform for $97 million, following unsuccessful attempts to bring its services into compliance with national regulations.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by Brazil’s Office of the Attorney General (AGU), targets what authorities describe as serious shortcomings in protecting minors on Discord, particularly in age verification procedures and mechanisms linking underage users to their legal guardians.
This legal move gained heightened attention after the tragic death of a 13-year-old girl connected to livestreams on the platform. Authorities have labeled the circumstances surrounding the case as a “true horror show,” leading to the arrest of six individuals, including five teenagers.
Attorney General Jorge Messias emphasized the platform’s role in enabling illegal activities due to insufficient safeguards for vulnerable groups, including women, children, and adolescents. He noted that the government’s action was taken at the behest of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The $97 million penalty corresponds to $9.7 million for each of ten specific violations documented by the government. These violations include inadequate age verification processes, failure to connect minors with their legal guardians, and lapses in reporting incidents to the proper authorities.
Brazilian officials revealed they engaged in two weeks of good-faith negotiations with Discord, which ultimately proved unsatisfactory. In response, Discord issued a statement calling the lawsuit “disproportionate” and said it “does not accurately reflect Discord’s approach to safety.”
In a related development, Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority imposed a nearly $30 million fine on TikTok for breaches of the country’s Digital Child and Adolescent Statute.
Together, these enforcement actions underscore Brazil’s commitment to closing regulatory gaps in online content moderation and protecting its younger population.