Brazil sues Discord for $97 million over child safety failures

The Brazilian government has filed a federal lawsuit against the messaging platform Discord, seeking 500 million reais (approximately $97 million) in damages for alleged failures to protect children and women online. The civil collective moral damages lawsuit, announced by Solicitor General Jorge Messias on August 27, 2026, was filed in the capital, Brasilia, after what authorities described as failed negotiations with the company. The legal action follows a tragic incident in July 2026, in which a 13-year-old girl died by suicide after being encouraged to harm herself during a livestream on the platform. According to an official with the Justice Ministry's Ciberlab intelligence unit, five teenagers and an adult have been arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred in a small town in central-western Brazil. Over a 45-minute period, the teens allegedly encouraged the girl to kill an animal, and when she failed, they urged her to kill herself. One of the arrested teenagers was 14 years old. The lawsuit contends that Discord's age-verification systems, content moderation, parental controls, and user safety protections have severe gaps, exposing users to serious risks.