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Florida Opens Civil Probe Into Discord, Citing Child-Predator Cases

Investigators are seeking records on Discord’s child-safety measures to test possible consumer-protection violations.

Overview

  • Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a civil investigation into Discord and said his office has issued subpoenas to the company.
  • The subpoenas request materials on marketing to children, age verification, moderation procedures, parental controls, and records of cases or complaints involving minors.
  • Uthmeier says many predator cases start on platforms like Roblox or Snapchat before moving to Discord, a pattern Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said local investigators also observe.
  • The inquiry references potential violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, though the state has not filed a lawsuit against Discord.
  • Discord says it bans users under 13, enforces a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual exploitation, and recently added face ID access for adult content plus expanded parental controls.