Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accuses Discord of creating unsafe environment that exposed children to predators online
Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the social communication platform Discord, accusing the company of misleading parents and consumers about child safety while allegedly allowing predators and extremist groups to exploit minors on the platform.
According to Paxton’s office, the lawsuit claims Discord knowingly created a platform environment that exposed children to grooming, sexual exploitation, and harmful extremist content despite publicly promoting itself as a safe online space.
The legal action follows an investigation opened in October 2025 after reports connected Discord to several disturbing incidents involving minors. State officials said the investigation intensified after reports surfaced that the assassin responsible for murdering political activist Charlie Kirk had used the platform. Authorities also pointed to concerns that Discord had become addictive and exposed young users to dangerous material online.
The lawsuit accuses Discord of falsely reassuring users by promoting statements claiming that safety was “at the core of everything we do” and “fully integrated into our design process.”
According to the complaint, the company allegedly designed its platform in ways that prioritized maximum exposure instead of stronger protections for minors. State officials claim Discord relied heavily on unpaid volunteers to handle key safety responsibilities and ignored repeated warnings from law enforcement and government agencies.
Federal prosecutors previously described the platform architecture as “a hunting ground to find, manipulate, and sextort our most vulnerable,” according to the lawsuit.
Lawsuit Details Alleged Harm to Children
The lawsuit outlines several alarming cases involving minors allegedly harmed through interactions on Discord.
One example involved a 13-year-old Texas girl who authorities say was sexually assaulted in her home by a predator who had allegedly groomed her through Discord over several years.
Another case involved a 15-year-old boy who was allegedly pressured into creating explicit material through the platform’s messaging system. Officials said the teen later died by suicide.
State officials also referenced the death of another 13-year-old who reportedly died by suicide after allegedly being targeted by the extremist “764” network, which prosecutors say operated openly on Discord servers.
According to Paxton’s office, Discord failed to make meaningful design changes even after receiving direct notice from multiple federal agencies and the Texas Office of the Attorney General regarding safety concerns tied to exploitation on the platform.
“Discord has allowed and invited all kinds of nihilistic violence and evil. My office is taking action to protect our nation’s precious children from predators,” said Attorney General Paxton. “We live in a time where the dangers children face online have never been greater, and every parent in Texas deserves to know their child is protected.”
Texas Seeking Major Changes and Penalties
The lawsuit seeks several major changes involving how Discord handles safety and age protections for users.
Among the requested measures, Texas wants Discord to automatically place all new accounts under maximum safety settings by default. The state is also seeking age verification requirements under the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act, commonly known as the SCOPE Act.
In addition, the lawsuit demands repayment of revenue allegedly connected to unlawful conduct along with civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
The state is also seeking attorney’s fees and court costs.
The lawsuit adds to a growing national debate surrounding social media platforms, online communication services, and whether technology companies are doing enough to protect children from predators, exploitation, and harmful online communities.
