Brazil's Data Protection Agency Suspends Discord Live Streams Following Teenager's Death

The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) has ordered Discord to suspend its live streaming functionality in Brazil. The agency gave the company three business days to comply with the decision. This preventive measure will remain in place until Discord can prove it has implemented effective measures to protect children and adolescents. The suspension specifically targets the Go Live feature and does not constitute a total block of the platform in the country.

The decision follows an investigation opened on September 7 to examine failures in the platform's prevention of content related to self harm and suicide. The ANPD stated there were robust evidences that Discord failed to adopt reasonable measures to mitigate risks of exposure to violence and induction of suicide, citing violations of the Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent. The agency noted that live streams were recurrently used for grave crimes against minors. If irregularities are confirmed, the agency could apply fines of up to 50 million reais per infraction.

The regulatory action was triggered by the death of a 13 year old girl in Mato Grosso do Sul who was allegedly induced to commit suicide during a live stream. Police conducted an operation on September 4 against a group of teenagers suspected of involvement. The case gained significant political attention after First Lady Janja Lula da Silva called for the immediate removal of Discord from Brazil during the sanctioning of a law protecting children on the internet.

Discord has since held meetings with the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General of the Union (AGU), and the ANPD. The AGU reported receiving a proposal from Discord on September 10 containing measures to reinforce user protection. The ANPD noted that Discord's current technical structure prevents the company from accessing live video content in real time, which complicates the detection of crimes as they happen. Discord, which requires users to be at least 13 years old, serves over 90 million daily users globally.