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Brazil’s data protection agency launches investigation into Discord
Brazil’s National Data Protection Agency (ANPD) has launched an inspection proceeding against the Discord platform to investigate evidence of failures in protecting children and adolescents. The investigation was prompted by reports of a case involving self-harm and the suicide of a 13-year-old girl on July 22. The incident was streamed live on the platform. Notícias relacionadas:Law expands penalties for online sex crimes against children.Study shows persistence of violence against children in Brazil.The investigation will examine whether Discord failed to comply with the obligations set forth in Brazil’s Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent (known as Digital ECA), specifically whether the platform failed to adopt measures to prevent and mitigate the risk of exposing minors to content related to self-harm and suicide. Other points of concern include the lack of age verification mechanisms and the failure to remove inappropriate content and report it to the authorities – obligations set forth in the statute. “Discord will have five business days to provide information on existing mechanisms to prevent and combat serious violations against children and adolescents,” the agency said in a statement on Friday (Aug. 7). It also warned that the law stipulates fines of up to BRL 50 million for the violations under investigation. Also on Friday, members of the Attorney-General’s Office met with Discord representatives to address concerns regarding age verification and the protection of children and adolescents using the platform. According to the agency, the representatives expressed a willingness to comply with legal requirements and correct the identified flaws. The case of the 13-year-old girl’s induced suicide is being investigated as part of Operation Lívia, led by the Civil Police of Mato Grosso do Sul and carried out with technical support from the Cyber Operations Laboratory of the National Secretariat of Public Security.