Discord has suspended its livestreaming features in Brazil. This comes after criticism over child safety on the platform and a case involving the death of a 13-year-old girl. The decision came after Brazil’s national data protection agency ordered the company to suspend the livestreaming features last week, citing concerns about risks to children and adolescents.In a statement to AP, the live streaming site said it is in discussions with Brazilian authorities “to seek a solution that allows us to reestablish those resources for our users in Brazil.” Discord also said, “We remain committed to working with public policymakers in Brazil to help create an online experience that is safer for all, on Discord and across the internet.”
Discord livestreams suspended after Brazil child safety case
The action follows a case in July involving an underage girl in Mato Grosso do Sul who was allegedly coerced by other users into committing suicide during a livestream on Discord. Five teenagers were arrested in connection with the death, according to an August 4 statement from Brazil’s justice ministry. Brazil’s first lady Rosângela Lula da Silva, known as Janja, called for Discord to be taken offline after the incident.“I can’t accept seeing a 13-year-old girl self-harming live on the internet, on Discord, hanging herself and dying,” said Janja at a ceremony in Brasilia on August 6.Brazil’s national data protection agency said livestreams had been used to facilitate violence, harassment and the incitement of self-harm and suicide. The agency also said there was evidence that Discord had not sufficiently prevented children and adolescents from being exposed to content involving violence, self-harm and suicide.Discord said it had investigated a private server where people involved in criminal activity were believed to have encouraged self-harm. The company said it shut down the server before the 13-year-old’s death and denied that the incident was shown live on its platform.The company said groups or individuals promoting violence have no place on Discord and that its safety teams work to remove violating content and take action against accounts involved in harmful activity.
Discord complaints rise in Brazil
Discord has more than 90 million daily active users worldwide, according to the company’s website. In Brazil, complaints involving Discord increased by 54% between January and July compared with the same period last year, according to data from internet rights nonprofit Safernet Brazil.Thiago Tavares, president of Safernet Brazil, said the case involving the 13-year-old was part of a wider pattern of concerns involving the platform.“The case of the 13-year-old girl is not an isolated episode, but the tragic outcome of a pattern that we have documented and denounced for years,” Tavares said in a statement on August 11.He also said Brazil’s digital law establishes “clear duties of prevention, risk mitigation, age verification and cooperation with the authorities” and that failure to comply should result in accountability.Thiago Ayub, director of technology at network engineering company Sage Networks, criticised the decision to suspend the livestreaming feature. He argued that users involved in criminal activity could move to other platforms that are not facing the same level of scrutiny.“The most immediate consequence is the migration of users that inappropriately and even criminally use the platform to another one which isn’t under the spotlight,” Ayub said. “In this way, the protection of children and adolescents diminishes instead of increasing.”
Brazil tightens internet rules for minors
Brazil has introduced regulations to increase protections for minors online. Under the rules, children under 16 must link their social media accounts to a legal guardian, and digital services must implement age verification measures beyond simply asking users to declare they are over 18.Discord postponed an age verification policy in February following criticism from users concerned about privacy. The company later said it was introducing age assurance measures to comply with Brazilian regulations.The Discord decision comes amid broader efforts by Brazil’s government and Supreme Court to regulate how minors use online services. Other countries, including Australia, Canada and Indonesia, have also introduced or considered measures aimed at addressing online risks to children.The Trump administration has accused Brazil of targeting US social media companies and has cited the issue as one reason for imposing tariffs on Brazilian imports. In 2024, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered the suspension of X in the country until the platform complied with orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation.
————————————————
