AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against online messaging platform Discord on Friday in Collin County state district court, accusing the company of exposing minors to sexual predators and misleading users about platform safety.
The lawsuit alleges that Discord failed to protect children using its service and allowed the platform to be used for sexual exploitation. It also seeks court orders requiring age verification for users under provisions of the Texas Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act and penalties under the state Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Paxton’s office said the lawsuit follows an ongoing investigation that began in 2024 into Discord and other technology companies over data privacy and child safety concerns. The investigation expanded in October 2025 to include allegations of sexual exploitation and extremist content online.
Discord operates as an online messaging platform that allows users to communicate through chat servers, commonly used by video game communities. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Texas joins Nevada, Indiana, and New Jersey in filing recent lawsuits against Discord, while Florida has opened an investigation. Several private lawsuits have also been filed against the company alleging failures to prevent child exploitation on the platform.
Paxton referenced a 2025 civil lawsuit filed by the family of a 13-year-old girl who alleged she was groomed on Roblox and later Discord before being sexually assaulted.
The lawsuit comes amid a series of legal actions by Paxton’s office against technology companies, including Snapchat, TikTok, Roblox, and Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp.
Paxton also filed a separate lawsuit this week against WhatsApp and Meta, alleging access to users’ private messages.
The lawsuit against Discord also seeks enforcement of the SCOPE Act, a 2023 Texas law requiring online platforms to implement protections for minors. Parts of the law have been blocked in federal court on constitutional grounds.
