US officials target Microsoft and Discord over child safety concerns

State officials in Missouri and Florida are taking legal and regulatory action against major digital platforms over allegations of inadequate child safety protections.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has demanded that Microsoft address concerns regarding its Xbox Live platform. The demand follows criminal cases where adults allegedly used the service to target and groom minors. Hanaway cited issues with age verification, parental controls, and the monitoring of communications, stating, “The millions of underage users on your Xbox Live platform are at risk.”

In Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Discord, alleging the platform misled families about its safety measures. The lawsuit claims Discord violated state consumer protection and child online safety laws by failing to implement sufficient age verification and failing to restrict communications between minors and strangers. The state is seeking permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and restitution, citing instances where predators used the platform to contact hundreds of children.