State Sues Discord Over Child Protection Failures
A state attorney general took legal action against the messaging app Discord on Friday, claiming it failed to adequately protect children from sexual predators.
The lawsuit argues that the platform allows strangers to connect with minors, significantly relies on unpaid volunteers to monitor potentially harmful behavior, and does not effectively enforce its own rules. This lawsuit marks the latest in a series of similar actions, with three other states also filing complaints. Reports have indicated that Discord’s reputation has been damaged due to instances of users encountering pedophiles online, including cases of networks that exploit children.
The complaint highlights that Discord has neglected to implement meaningful changes despite numerous alerts from federal prosecutors, the U.S. Senate, the Federal Trade Commission, and various state attorneys general. Texas seeks to hold Discord accountable for unethical business practices, demanding upgrades to its age verification system, stricter safety defaults for accounts, and further actions to compensate any earnings from illegal activities.
A spokesperson for Discord responded, stating that the lawsuit misrepresents the platform, which they describe as a space meant for gaming and community building. They claim users join based on shared interests and contrast Discord’s design with that of traditional social media, asserting that it lacks harmful features like algorithm-driven content promotion.
The spokesperson mentioned that Discord employs both technology and human oversight to identify harmful activities and provides resources like Teen Safety Assist and Family Center to enhance safety for younger users and their families.
Despite this, Texas officials pointed to specific recent incidents where Discord was allegedly used by predators to exploit children. One case cited involved a suspect using the app to target vulnerable users for abuse. Furthermore, the state highlighted the emergence of abusive networks that manipulate children through online connections, emphasizing concerns about their ability to bypass Discord’s bans and continue engaging in harmful activities.
Data from the attorney general’s office revealed a sharp rise in federal lawsuits mentioning Discord between 2017 and 2025, with around half pertaining to child exploitation. Texas authorities have indicated that the platform’s structure could enable predatory behaviors rather than hinder them, noting that moderation often falls to overworked volunteers without automated assistance.
