Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated legal action against Discord, the popular communication platform, alleging that its design and moderation practices create an environment where child exploitation can occur.
The lawsuit, filed in Collin County District Court on Friday, contends that Discord markets itself as a safe platform while maintaining features that potentially enable predatory behavior toward minors. According to the complaint, specific platform characteristics including private servers, reliance on volunteer moderators, and opt-in safety features contribute to these concerns.
The legal document asserts that Discord promotes itself as focused on community, connection, and safety, but maintains that the platform has become a venue where manipulation, grooming, and predatory behavior targeting children can occur.
An analysis conducted by Hearst Television’s National Investigative Unit, referenced in the complaint, identified hundreds of criminal cases involving Discord users over the past decade. According to this analysis, approximately half of these cases were connected to child exploitation.
The complaint details several specific incidents, including allegations involving a 13-year-old Texas girl who was sexually assaulted after interactions on the platform, and a 15-year-old boy with autism who died by suicide following coercion to send sexually explicit photographs. The filing also mentions that a violent extremist and child exploitation network known as “764” originally formed on Discord.
This legal action follows similar lawsuits that Paxton has previously filed against other social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, and Roblox, citing concerns about child exploitation and exposure to inappropriate content.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, claiming Discord falsely advertised its platform as safe for users. The state is seeking several remedies, including injunctions that would require the platform to set new accounts to maximum safety settings by default and implement age verification measures under the Texas Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act. Additional requested remedies include civil penalties and revenue disgorgement.
In response to the lawsuit, a Discord representative stated that the legal filing does not accurately represent the platform they have built or their investments in user safety measures. The representative explained that Discord’s safety systems combine advanced technology with human-led investigations and user reports to identify accounts or spaces engaged in harmful activities, including the sharing of exploitative materials.
The platform spokesperson highlighted several safety features Discord has implemented, including Teen Safety Assist and the Family Center, which provide privacy and safety tools for teenage users and their parents or guardians. Discord expressed a willingness to collaborate with policymakers to enhance online safety across the internet.
The attorney general emphasized the importance of protecting children online, stating that the lawsuit represents action to safeguard children from online predators. The statement noted concerns about current online dangers facing children and stressed that parents deserve assurance that their children are protected while using online platforms.
This case adds to the ongoing national conversation about social media platform responsibility for user safety, particularly for minor users. The outcome of this lawsuit could potentially influence how social media platforms approach safety features and moderation practices moving forward.
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