Kathmandu— Brazilian regulators have ordered social media platform Discord to suspend its livestreaming feature nationwide following the death of a 13-year-old girl who took her own life during an online broadcast, where authorities allege she was encouraged to self-harm. The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) issued the order on Wednesday, giving Discord three business days to halt “Go Live” and similar video-sharing tools until it can demonstrate adequate safeguards for minors are in place. While the platform itself will remain accessible, livestreaming functionality will be unavailable as investigators examine its moderation practices and safety protocols.

Investigation Reveals Disturbing Details

Authorities say that during a 45-minute Discord livestream last month, the 13-year-old girl was actively encouraged to harm herself by other users before ultimately ending her life. Five teenagers have been arrested in connection with the incident, and police intervened to prevent another girl from attempting suicide online. Alessandro Barreto, coordinator of the Brazilian Justice Ministry’s Ciberlab intelligence unit, described the case as a “terrible failure in moderation” on Discord's part.

Shifting Patterns of Online Abuse

Barreto detailed how the events unfolded, stating that the girl was initially encouraged to kill an animal and then, upon failing to do so, was urged to take her own life – all broadcast live. He highlighted a disturbing trend of minors influencing other minors to commit harmful acts. “We used to see adults grooming minors,” Barreto said. “Now, what do we see? Minors grooming other minors to commit barbaric acts.” He also noted that the parents of those arrested were unaware of their children’s involvement.

Regulatory Concerns and Platform Response

The ANPD expressed broader concerns beyond this single case, citing repeated instances of serious crimes being connected to Discord livestreams and the resulting risk to minors' physical and mental well-being. The agency criticized Discord’s inability to monitor livestream content in real time, relying instead on flawed automated systems and user reports. Discord stated it is cooperating with authorities in the investigation.

Brazil Takes a Harder Line on Tech Platforms

This action against Discord follows Brazil's recent crackdown on X (formerly Twitter), which was blocked for 40 days earlier this year until it complied with court orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation. The move has drawn criticism from the United States, including accusations that Brazil is unfairly targeting American social media companies and retaliatory tariffs on Brazilian imports.

The suspension of Discord’s livestreaming feature will remain in effect until the platform can demonstrate sufficient measures are in place to protect minors from harmful content and ensure a safe online environment.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.