2 weeks ago
Discord suspends livestreams in Brazil after child safety failures
Discord is a popular app where people chat, play games, and share live videos.
Brazil's government told Discord to stop its live video broadcasts in the country.
This happened after a very sad event: a 13-year-old girl died.
People say other users on the app encouraged her to hurt herself during a live stream.
Brazil's first lady said the platform should be taken offline.
Discord says it is talking with Brazil to find a way to bring livestreams back safely.
Some people think stopping the livestreams protects children.
Others worry that bad actors will just move to different apps.
Brazil is also making new rules to keep kids safer online, like age checks.
Discord says it wants to help create a safer online experience for everyone.
Discord suspended its livestreams in Brazil after the country's data protection agency ordered the move over child safety failures.
The suspension follows the July death of a 13-year-old girl in Mato Grosso do Sul allegedly coerced into suicide during a livestream.
Five teenagers were arrested in connection with the girl's death, according to Brazil's justice ministry.
Discord denied the July case was shown live and said it had shut down a private server linked to the criminal activity before the death.
Complaints involving Discord in Brazil rose 54% between January and July compared with the same period last year, according to Safernet Brazil.
- Who
- Discord, Brazil's national data protection agency, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and First Lady Rosângela 'Janja' Lula da Silva
- What
- Discord suspended its livestreams in Brazil after the data protection agency ordered it over failures to protect children and adolescents.
- Where
- Brazil, including the state of Mato Grosso do Sul where the July case occurred.
- When
- Announced Monday, following the agency's suspension order last week; the triggering case occurred in July.
- Why
- Because livestreams were allegedly used to facilitate violence, harassment, and incitement of self-harm and suicide, including the July death of a 13-year-old girl.
Regulators and child safety advocates
Platform and industry critics
Suspending livestreams
Regulators and child safety advocates
The data protection agency and First Lady Janja say livestreams have repeatedly been used to facilitate violence, harassment, and incitement of self-harm, so suspension is necessary to protect children.
Platform and industry critics
Thiago Ayub of Sage Networks says the suspension pushes bad actors to other platforms not under scrutiny, so protection of children diminishes instead of increasing.
Discord's responsibility in the July case
Regulators and child safety advocates
Safernet Brazil says the girl's death is the tragic outcome of a documented pattern of failures, and the agency cited evidence that Discord did not sufficiently prevent risks of serious rights violations.
Platform and industry critics
Discord denied the July case was shown live, said it shut down a private server linked to the criminal activity before the death, and stated that groups promoting violence have no place on the platform.
Key facts
- Platform
- Discord
- Action
- Livestreams suspended in Brazil
- Ordering body
- Brazil's national data protection agency
- Triggering case
- July death of a 13-year-old girl in Mato Grosso do Sul
- Arrests
- Five teenagers arrested in connection with the death
- Active daily users
- More than 90 million worldwide
- Complaint increase
- 54% rise between January and July vs. same period last year (Safernet Brazil)
- New Brazilian law
- Minors under 16 must link social media accounts to a legal guardian
Quotes
Brazilian First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva (Janja)
First Lady of Brazil
“I can’t accept seeing a 13-year-old girl self-harming live on the internet, on Discord, hanging herself and dying.”
livemint.com
Discord
Online communication platform
“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.”
livemint.com
Brazil's national data protection agency
Government agency responsible for data protection
“Livestreams have been repeatedly used to facilitate violence, harassment and the incitement of self-harm and suicide.”
livemint.com
Sources
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