Brazil’s data protection agency on Wednesday ordered instant messaging and VoIP social platform Discord to suspend livestreams in the country. The development follows the death of a teenager last month who died by suicide after she was allegedly pressured to end her life by others in the Discord server – or group – she was in.
According to an investigation by Brazil’s ANPD (National Data Protection Authority), the girl from a small city in the centre-west of Brazil was incited during a 45-minute livestream in July.
‘Real-life horror show’
Police, which described the incident as a “real-life horror show”, have arrested five teenagers in connection with the teenager’s death. The police also noted that thier operation saved “another girl who was about to commit suicide live on the internet.
Following the investigation launched last week, the ANPD said “live streams have been repeatedly used to facilitate violence, harassment, and the incitement of self-harm and suicide.”
Discord failed to protect children
The ANPD cited “robust evidence that the company failed to adopt reasonable measures” to protect children and teenagers from such content.
According to Reuters, the ANPD said it found Discord lacks real-time access to livestream content, which prevents automated violation detection.
In a statement sent to AFP, Discord said it was “disappointed” but was “carefully analysing” the ANPD directive. It rejected the agency’s “characterization” of the platform.
Discord, which was given three days to comply with the order said it had investigated and removed the invite-only group involved in the case and continued to co-operate with law enforcement.
ANPD said the suspension will remain in place until Discord proves it has implemented “adequate protective measures for minors”, which may include age verification checks.
Alessandro Barreto, coordinator of the Justice Ministry’s Ciberlab intelligence unit, slammed a “terrible failure in moderation” by Discord.
“We witnessed truly outrageous acts being broadcast online,” he was quoted as saying by AFP.
He said the girl had been incited to kill an animal but “she couldn’t do it” and was then incited to kill herself, “all of it broadcast live.”
“We used to see adults grooming minors. Now, what do we see? Minors grooming other minors to commit barbaric acts. It’s called digital slavery. Girls are being enslaved online and coerced into committing truly barbaric acts.”
Major challenge for platforms
It is not just Discord, other streaming platforms including Twitch and social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and X have also come under the scanner across the world for their failure to crackdown on and violence, especially during live-stream.
Following the recent death, Rosangela da Silva, wife of left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, called for the US-based Discord to be shut down and urged “the judiciary to remove this horrible network from the Internet.”
