Brazil’s data protection authority has ordered Discord to suspend its livestreaming feature over concerns that the platform is not doing enough to protect children and teenagers from content promoting violence, self-harm and suicide.
The National Data Protection Authority, known as ANPD, issued the order on Wednesday, requiring Discord to suspend its “Go Live” feature until it can demonstrate that adequate safeguards for minors have been implemented.
Discord has three business days to prove that it has complied with the order. The platform could face fines of up to 50 million reais, or around $9.67 million, for each violation. Discord can appeal the decision within 10 business days and can also seek a further appeal before ANPD’s board.
According to ANPD, Discord does not have real-time access to livestream content, making it difficult for the platform to automatically detect violations while streams are taking place. The authority also said Discord relies on systems it considers inadequate along with reports submitted by users to identify harmful content.
ANPD said Discord made changes to the Go Live feature in early March, after Brazil’s child digital protection law came into effect, that made the livestreaming feature less protective of minors.
The authority’s investigation began last Friday following an incident involving a 13-year-old girl. Investigators said the girl was persuaded by other people in an online group she belonged to to take her own life.
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Discord said the agency’s decision was “premature” and that the company continues to work to identify the individuals responsible for the incident being investigated.
