Discord and Meta accused of giving predators 'unfettered access' to a teen girl and failing to stop the abuse
A lawsuit against Discord and Meta alleges the platforms failed to protect a teenager from online grooming and extortion by criminal groups. The case seeks to challenge Section 230 liability protections for social media companies regarding criminal activity on their platforms.
Why it matters
This case could set a legal precedent for holding tech companies accountable for criminal user behavior, potentially reshaping Section 230 protections.
Discord is a popular messaging platform. Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images Criminal groups allegedly groomed and abused a teen girl on Discord and Meta, a lawsuit says. The victim's case could test Section 230 liability protections on tech platforms, her lawyers say. Meta wants the case bundled with social media addiction litigation. Discord wants it dismissed. A woman alleges child abuse rings found her on Discord and Instagram as a teen, then blackmailed her into sending them nude and self-harm photos that they shared across the internet—leaving her with mental and physical scars. Now she's suing both tech companies in a case her lawyers hope will be a "watershed moment" for holding social media sites accountable, as the FBI warns parents about a rising network of online extortion groups targeting kids .
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