A private server investigated by Discord amid the case of the death of Lívia, aged 13, in Mato Grosso do Sul, could only be accessed by invitation and was not found by other users of the platform. According to the company, people involved in criminal activities had encouraged self-harm in the space, which was deactivated before the teenager's death.
The information was passed on by Discord to g1 this Tuesday (15), when six teenagers were apprehended in the second phase of Operation Lívia. According to the Civil Police, they were part of violent virtual groups, known as “pots”, and were involved in the case.
When detailing what it identified, Discord stated:
"Discord investigated a private server where individuals involved in criminal activity were believed to have encouraged self-harm and disabled it before the teenager's death. Access to the private server was invitation-based and could not be found by other users."
The company did not say how many people participated in the server or who managed the space.
Discord also stated that the case involved different platforms and that the government shared evidence indicating that the teenager's death occurred on another service. The company did not say which one. See the full Discord note at the end of the report.
Six minors are arrested for the death of a girl broadcast on Discord — Photo: Reproduction
Operation reached teenagers from five states
The second phase of Operation Lívia was carried out by the Specialized Police Station for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (Depca), with support from cyber investigation and CyberLab.
Six warrants were served against teenagers aged 14 to 17 in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul and the Federal District.
The new targets were identified after analyzing cell phones and other materials seized in the first phase. According to delegate Anne Karine Sanches Trevizan, the police continue to try to identify all the people who participated in the “pots” and were linked to Lívia’s death.
Around 90% of the members identified so far are teenagers. An adult was also identified. Police also found other possible victims, some of whom had not told their parents that they were being threatened or manipulated.
How the ‘pots’ worked
According to the investigation, the “panels” had administrators, people responsible for attracting new members and participants who accompanied or encouraged the so-called “events”.
The groups also competed for recognition: the more extreme the content produced, the greater the prestige among the members. For the police, Lívia's death would have represented the maximum point of violence sought by the group investigated.
Victims were sought out on social networks and chat platforms. The approach began in an apparently friendly way and, in some cases, those investigated pretended to be people of the same age or the same sex to gain the trust of the teenagers.
Then, they introduced the groups. When the victim did not accept to participate, threats could begin. The police found cases in which names, telephone numbers and photos of family members were used to intimidate them.
Discord also stated that the case had activities on different platforms and said it considers that it has been treated in isolation in the public debate. According to the company, “the government shared with Discord evidence indicating that the teenager’s death occurred on another platform.”
Items seized during the PF's 'Lívia' operation — Photo: Reproduction/PF
Discord responds to criticism
The company also denied a lack of cooperation with Brazilian authorities. According to Discord, it maintains dialogue with the Attorney General's Office (AGU), agreed, in principle, with the terms presented by the body and delivered three versions of a proposal.
The platform states that it was the AGU that ended the negotiations and says that the lack of coordination between federal agencies and clarity regarding the requested measures has made discussions difficult.
Discord also refuted the characterization made by the National Data Protection Agency (ANPD) and stated that groups or individuals that promote or encourage violence “have no place” on the platform.
According to the company, specialized teams work to identify threats, possible victims and violent groups, in addition to removing content and users that violate its policies and providing information to authorities when necessary.
Currently, Discord remains available in Brazil, but real-time video communication features are suspended. Messaging, servers, voice channels and audio-only calls continue to work, according to the company.
See the full Discord note
"Discord is deeply committed to user safety, and we want our communications platform to be the best place for friends to connect before, during, and after play. We use a combination of advanced technology and specialized security teams to proactively identify and remove content that violates our policies. We maintain robust systems designed to prevent the spread of sexual exploitation and grooming on our platform, and we also work with other technology companies and security organizations to improve online safety across the internet. Our Terms of Service require everyone to Users must be at least 13 years old to use Discord and Family Center offers parents and guardians tools to help their teens have a safer online experience while preserving their privacy. We remain fully committed to cooperating with local authorities in this matter.”
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