BRAZIL SUES DISCORD FOR NEARLY $100M OVER CHILD SAFETY CONCERNS

The Brazilian government has filed a lawsuit against messaging platform Discord, seeking nearly $100m in damages over allegations that the company failed to provide adequate protection for children and teenagers using its service.

The federal government is demanding 500 million Brazilian reais, equivalent to about $97m, in civil damages. It is also asking the court to compel Discord to introduce stronger measures aimed at preventing minors from being exposed to harmful content and unsafe interactions on the platform.

Brazilian authorities accused Discord of failing to comply fully with the country’s laws designed to protect children and adolescents online. Among the concerns raised are inadequate age-verification systems and insufficient safeguards to prevent minors from accessing harmful material or communicating with potentially dangerous individuals.

The lawsuit also calls for Discord to strengthen parental controls, improve its cooperation with law-enforcement agencies and deploy more effective systems for identifying and removing harmful content.

The action follows growing scrutiny of Discord in Brazil over the safety of young users. Authorities recently moved against some of the platform’s features after a suicide incident in July reportedly raised concerns about the potential risks associated with Discord’s livestreaming services. Brazil’s data protection regulator subsequently recommended restrictions on live broadcasts.

The Brazilian government said negotiations with Discord had failed to produce measures considered sufficient to address the risks identified by authorities. Solicitor General Jorge Messias said the company had not formally committed to an agreement that would guarantee compliance with the country’s child-protection requirements.

In addition to the compensation being sought, the government wants Discord to introduce more robust age checks and safety mechanisms. The proposed measures are intended to make it harder for children to gain unrestricted access to potentially harmful content and interactions.

Discord, however, has rejected the government's position, describing the lawsuit as disproportionate. The company said it has been working to comply with Brazilian regulations and has proposed technical and financial measures aimed at improving safety on its platform.

The legal battle comes as Brazil intensifies efforts to hold technology companies accountable for the safety and privacy of minors. Just a day before the Discord lawsuit, Brazil's data protection authority fined TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, nearly $30m over alleged violations involving the collection and handling of children's and teenagers' data.

The latest case therefore adds to mounting regulatory pressure on major online platforms as governments around the world seek tougher safeguards for children and teenagers in digital spaces.