Discord Suspends Livestreams, Video Calls Across Brazil

BRASILIA: (News Desk) – Messaging platform Discord has suspended livestreaming and video-calling features for users in Brazil after authorities ordered the company to strengthen safeguards for children following the death of a 13-year-old girl.

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) directed Discord on August 12 to halt livestreaming, saying the platform had failed to implement adequate measures to protect minors. The company was given until Monday night to comply.

Discord co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy said the company was complying with the order and cooperating with the Brazilian authorities. As a result, screen sharing and video calls are currently unavailable to users in Brazil.

The regulatory action follows an investigation into the death of the teenager in a small town in west-central Brazil. Five teenagers and an adult have reportedly been arrested in connection with the case.

According to an official from the Justice Ministry’s Ciberlab intelligence unit, the teenagers allegedly subjected the girl to harmful and coercive behaviour during an online broadcast before encouraging her to harm herself.

Discord has said the incident involved activity across multiple platforms rather than being limited to its service. Vishnevskiy said the company was working to restore the affected features while improving protections for teenage users.

Brazilian users can still access other Discord services, including audio calls and direct messaging.

The ANPD said livestreaming features had repeatedly been associated with incidents involving violence, harassment and the encouragement of self-harm. The agency said it had evidence that Discord had failed to implement reasonable safeguards.

Discord previously expressed disappointment with the regulatory order and rejected the agency’s characterization of its platform. The company also said it had removed the invitation-only group allegedly connected to the case.

Discord claims to have more than 90 million daily active users worldwide, making the Brazilian restrictions significant for the platform.

The decision has also triggered debate among Brazilian users, with some criticizing the government’s move while others have called for stronger action against online platforms.

Brazil has recently intensified efforts to strengthen protections for children online. New measures require platforms to connect accounts belonging to users under 16 with parental accounts and introduce age-verification requirements.

The country’s Supreme Court has likewise taken an increasingly active role in regulating online platforms and combating disinformation, forming part of a broader national debate over digital safety, platform responsibility and freedom of expression.