Attorney General James Uthmeier claims Discord fails to adequately protect children from online predators.
TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is taking another online platform to court.
Uthmeier announced a lawsuit against Discord on Thursday, accusing the messaging service of failing to adequately protect children from sexual predators while promoting itself as a safe place for young users.
The civil lawsuit, filed in Glades County Circuit Court, claims Discord’s inadequate age verification, limited content monitoring, and insufficient enforcement of safety policies have allowed adults to exploit children.
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Uthmeier announced the lawsuit during a news conference in Tampa, about seven months after his office launched an investigation into the platform and issued subpoenas seeking information about its safety practices.
The complaint accused Discord of misleading parents about its protections while allowing predators to contact children through private messages, group chats, and voice calls. It cites several Florida criminal cases involving children who were sexually exploited, threatened, or kidnapped after chatting with adults on Discord.
“We need to send a message to Discord and all the other companies out there, change your ways, protect our kids,” Uthmeier said. “Sure, make money, make profit, but do not choose profit over public safety.”
Uthmeier said his office has worked with Discord in recent months and acknowledged that the company has made changes, including recently announced age verification measures. But he argued that more must be done.
“We’ve tried to work with them, and they have made some changes, some positive changes, but not enough,” Uthmeier said.
The state is suing for court-ordered changes to Discord’s safety practices, restitution, and civil penalties that could total millions of dollars.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Col. Nikki Bosley joined Uthmeier at the news conference, urging parents to monitor their children’s online activities and conversations. She said HCSO’s Internet Predator Unit has arrested 176 people over the past year.
Uthmeier previously filed a similar lawsuit against TikTok in June, claiming the social media app illegally targets children and misleads parents.
A Discord spokesperson sent 10 Tampa Bay News the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
“The lawsuit’s characterization of Discord does not reflect the platform we have built or the investments we have made in user safety. Discord is a communications platform built to connect people around playing games. Users join Discord communities intentionally, based on their interests, and unlike social media, the platform has no algorithmic feed, infinite scroll, or public “likes” pushing content to mass audiences. Our safety systems combine advanced technology and human-led investigations, alongside user reports to help identify accounts or spaces engaged in harmful activity, including exploitative and child sexual abuse materials. Discord recently introduced a platform-wide age-appropriate experience that provides added protections around experiences intended for adults while allowing teens to participate in communities that aren’t age-restricted. We have consistently engaged and collaborated with law enforcement in Florida and look forward to working together toward a safer online experience for all users on Discord.”
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