Texas Lawyer Basic Ken Paxton is suing on-line messaging platform Discord, accusing the tech firm of exposing youngsters to predators utilizing the service and deceiving customers concerning the security of the platform.
Paxton filed the lawsuit Friday in a Collin County state district courtroom, the most recent in a current flurry of lawsuits by Paxton’s workplace in opposition to tech corporations and different companies forward of his U.S. Senate GOP runoff in opposition to incumbent John Cornyn on Tuesday.
Texas joins Nevada, Indiana and New Jersey as states which have lately sued Discord. Florida introduced its investigation of the corporate in March. Many non-public lawsuits have been filed in current months, as properly, largely from households accusing the messaging service of permitting youngsters to be sexually abused or exploited whereas utilizing Discord.
Paxton first opened an investigation into the messaging platform in 2024, together with a number of different tech corporations, all broadly centered on person information privateness. Paxton introduced final October, following the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, that he would develop the investigation of Discord to incorporate a deal with the sexual exploitation of minors and extremist content material on the platform.
Discord is a web-based messaging service usually utilized by individuals to speak whereas enjoying video video games. It additionally contains chat capabilities and the flexibility for customers to create topic-based servers. Paxton has sued different online game and social media platforms, like Snapchat, Tiktok and Roblox, in current months over related issues that they’re violating customers’ information privateness and permitting their platforms for use to use youngsters.
“Discord has allowed and invited all types of nihilistic violence and evil,” Paxton stated. “We stay in a time the place the hazards youngsters face on-line have by no means been higher, and each mother or father in Texas deserves to know their youngster is protected.”
A Discord spokesperson stated the platform has strong security options for teenage customers and is repeatedly working to enhance present security options. The spokesperson famous roughly 80% of Discord’s customers are adults and the service requires its customers to be no less than 13.
“The lawsuit’s characterization of Discord doesn’t replicate the platform now we have constructed or the investments now we have made in person security,” a Discord spokesperson wrote in an announcement. “We look ahead to collaborating with policymakers in working towards a safer on-line expertise for all customers on Discord and throughout the web.”
In 2023, Texas lawmakers strengthened legal guidelines requiring social media platforms to guard minors from inappropriate content material on-line. That laws, known as Securing Kids On-line by means of Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, continues to be combating its method by means of the courts and components have been blocked for being unconstitutionally obscure.
Paxton has used the remaining provisions of the SCOPE Act to carry lawsuits in opposition to Discord and the opposite tech corporations.
The lawsuit asks the courts to require Discord to implement age verification for all customers below that regulation, the Securing Kids On-line by means of Parental Empowerment Act. The lawsuit additionally seeks for Discord to pay fines below the state Misleading Commerce Practices Act, arguing the corporate has misled customers concerning the security of the platform.
Paxton cited a 2025 lawsuit filed by the household of a 13-year-old lady who says she was groomed on Roblox, then later Discord, earlier than being sexually assaulted in her house. The household’s lawsuit argues the businesses failed to guard the lady.
This week, Paxton additionally sued WhatsApp and its mother or father firm Meta, alleging the platform can entry customers’ non-public messages.
This text first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
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