State officials have initiated legal action against Discord, the widely-used messaging platform, citing concerns over its alleged failure to protect children from online predators. The lawsuit, spearheaded by New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, contends that Discord has misrepresented its safety features, particularly regarding its direct messaging capabilities.
Allegations of Misleading Safety Claims
According to Platkin, “Discord markets itself as a safe space for children, despite being fully aware that the application’s misleading safety settings and lax oversight has made it a prime hunting ground for online predators seeking easy access to children.” He emphasized that the platform’s deceptive claims about its safety measures have attracted an increasing number of young users, thereby exposing them to potential risks.
In response to the lawsuit, Discord expressed its intention to contest the allegations. “Discord is proud of our continuous efforts and investments in features and tools that help make Discord safer. Given our engagement with the Attorney General’s office, we are surprised by the announcement that New Jersey has filed an action against Discord today,” the company stated. “We dispute the claims in the lawsuit and look forward to defending the action in court.”
Concerns Over Default Settings
The state’s complaint highlights that Discord’s default settings permit users to receive friend requests from anyone on the platform, as well as private messages from friends and other users within the same server. Furthermore, while Discord claimed it would actively scan and remove messages containing explicit content, state officials argue that this assertion is misleading. “But this was not true. Despite its claims, Discord knew that not all explicit content was being detected or deleted,” they stated.
Particularly alarming is the “My friends are nice” direct messaging option, which allows children to accept friend requests from unknown users without any prior connection. Officials have reported numerous instances where child sexual abuse material was transmitted via Discord.
Legal Demands and Previous Incidents
The lawsuit seeks to compel Discord to relinquish profits earned in New Jersey and faces potential civil penalties. This legal action follows a troubling incident earlier this year, where a New Jersey family filed a lawsuit against both Roblox and Discord. They alleged that the platforms’ inadequate safeguards enabled a predator to exploit and abuse their son, as well as potentially other children.
In a related case, a Toms River man has been accused of engaging in conversations over social media, including Discord, with a 14-year-old victim he had previously assaulted in Norway. Authorities noted that during these interactions, the man acknowledged the girl’s age. Following the revelations, two members of an online Discord community shared their private conversations with him publicly, prompting further investigation.
