Brazil's data protection authority, the ANPD, has ordered Discord to suspend its livestreaming feature after a 13-year-old girl was allegedly encouraged to take her own life during a broadcast on the platform. The regulator's order affects the "Go Live" function used for voice and video calls, and follows an investigation opened on 7 August 2026 into the messaging service's child-safety practices.
According to a news agency report, the ANPD found that Discord lacks real-time access to livestream content, which prevents automated detection of violations and leaves the platform dependent on flawed systems and user reports.
Why did regulators intervene?
The ANPD's inquiry began after the death of a 13-year-old girl who was reportedly pressured by other participants in a private Discord server to end her life. Discord has more than 200 million monthly active users worldwide and is particularly popular among gamers, who use the platform to form communities and join real-time voice or video calls.
What has Discord said in response?
Discord told a national broadcaster it was "thoughtfully reviewing" the ANPD's order and remained "committed to user safety". A company spokesperson added:
Groups or individuals who promote or encourage violence have no place on Discord.
We swiftly investigated and shut down the private, invite-only server involved shortly after its creation and continue to cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation.
The spokesperson said investigators found evidence that the activity "was coordinated on other platforms before the Discord server was created" and continued "after the individuals involved were banned from Discord". Separately, Discord told AFP, as reported by the Straits Times, that it was "cooperating with the authorities in the investigation into this serious case" and said the private server had already been deactivated before the teenager died.
Is Discord being banned entirely in Brazil?
No. According to O Globo, the ANPD's measure is preventive and applies only to the Go Live livestreaming function, while the rest of the platform remains accessible to Brazilian users. The same report states that the girl involved died on 22 June 2026, after being encouraged to self-harm inside a private server, and that Discord said it had disabled the server before her death.
Five teenagers have reportedly been arrested in connection with the girl's death.
What legal duties does Discord face under Brazilian law?
Brazil's child-protection statute, known as the ECA Digital, has been in force since March 2026 and requires platforms to carry out age-verification checks and put in place measures against self-harm and suicide-related content, according to a Brazilian technology outlet. The ANPD's own announcement confirms it opened its formal compliance process against Discord on 7 August 2026 specifically to examine whether the company had met these child-protection obligations. The authority has said the suspension will remain in effect until Discord demonstrates it has introduced adequate protective measures for minors, which could include age-verification checks.
Has Brazil taken similar action against other platforms?
In August 2024, the social media platform X was blocked in Brazil after it failed to pay outstanding fines and missed a deadline set by a Supreme Court judge to appoint a new legal representative in the country. The Supreme Court lifted the ban in October 2024 once X paid fines totalling 28m reais ($5.1m; £3.8m) and agreed to name a local representative, as Brazilian law requires.
What happens next?
Discord has three business days to comply with the suspension order and may appeal the decision within 10 business days, according to the same news agency report. The company faces potential fines of up to 50m reais ($9.67m) for each violation if it fails to act.
- Investigation opened by Brazil's ANPD on 7 August 2026 after the death of a 13-year-old girl
- The girl died on 22 June 2026, reportedly after being encouraged to self-harm in a private Discord server
- Discord's Go Live livestreaming feature, not the whole platform, is subject to the suspension order
- Five teenagers have reportedly been arrested over the case
- Discord has three business days to comply and 10 business days to appeal, and faces fines of up to 50m reais ($9.67m) per violation
