Brazil Orders Discord to Suspend Go Live Amid Child-Safety Investigation
Summary
Brazil’s data protection regulator ordered Discord to suspend Go Live nationwide until it demonstrates effective safeguards, citing risks to minors. The order follows a fatal livestream case; Discord says it is reviewing the decision and disputes the regulator’s account
Key points
- Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) ordered Discord to disable Go Live nationwide until the company demonstrates effective safeguards for children and teenagers.
- The order follows the death of a 13-year-old girl; authorities say she was encouraged to harm herself during a livestream on Discord.
- The ANPD said it found “robust evidence” of inadequate protections against content promoting or facilitating violence, self-harm, or suicide.
- The regulator said Discord’s inability to access livestream video and its addition of end-to-end encryption limit real-time detection, leaving safeguards reliant on automated systems and user reports.
- Discord confirmed it received the order, said it was reviewing it, and called the suspension premature; it disputed the regulator’s description of its safety practices.
- Brazil is also investigating Discord’s age-verification, content-removal, and reporting practices. If violations are confirmed, fines could reach 50 million Brazilian reais per violation.
- Authorities said teenagers allegedly used online communities, including Telegram, to spread extremist, antisemitic, and misogynistic material and recruit members.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Brazilian regulatory order and investigation into child-safety protections on Discord
- Impact
- Brazil ordered Discord to disable its Go Live livestreaming feature nationwide until it demonstrates effective safeguards. The investigation concerns alleged failures to protect minors from harmful content and to remove or report prohibited material. Discord has three business days to demonstrate that the suspension is fully implemented across Brazil; it could face fines of up to 50 million Brazilian reais per confirmed violation.
People
Vendors
DiscordBrazil has ordered Discord to suspend its Go Live livestreaming feature while regulators investigate whether the platform failed to protect children from content promoting self-harm and suicide.TelegramThe case follows a fatal livestream involving a 13-year-old girl and has expanded into broader scrutiny of Discord and Telegram over harmful content, extremist recruiting, and weak safety controls.
Products
DiscordBrazil has ordered Discord to suspend its Go Live livestreaming feature while regulators investigate whether the platform failed to protect children from content promoting self-harm and suicide.Go LiveBrazil has ordered Discord to suspend its Go Live livestreaming feature while regulators investigate whether the platform failed to protect children from content promoting self-harm and suicide.TelegramThe case follows a fatal livestream involving a 13-year-old girl and has expanded into broader scrutiny of Discord and Telegram over harmful content, extremist recruiting, and weak safety controls.