Brazil sues chat platform Discord over failure to protect child users

Brazil has filed a $97 million lawsuit against the chat platform Discord, alleging failures to protect child and teenage users. The lawsuit, filed after failed negotiations, seeks to compel Discord to implement effective measures for protecting young users and seeks compensation for collective moral damages. The Brazilian government argues Discord has not complied with laws designed to safeguard young social media users. Discord has disputed the lawsuit, calling it excessively harsh and inaccurate regarding its compliance with Brazilian laws. This action is part of Brazil's broader efforts to hold tech giants accountable for child safety issues online, following similar actions against other platforms.

Brazil's government has filed a lawsuit against the online platform Discord, seeking 500 million reais (approximately $97 million) in damages for alleged failures in protecting children online. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, follows a July suicide case linked to the platform and cites severe gaps in Discord's age-verification and user safety systems. Brazil's Solicitor-General's office stated the damages are due to collective psychological harm. Discord has called the move "disproportionate" and inaccurate regarding its safety approach. The government is also requesting Discord to enhance parental controls, cooperate with law enforcement, and implement tools to detect dangerous content. This action places Discord under similar legal scrutiny as in the U.S. and other countries.