The subpoena seeks documents on how Discord markets itself to minors, its procedures for moderating content and communications, and its parental control features, according to the attorney general's office. It also demands data on the number of children using the platform and records of complaints alleging exploitation.
Uthmeier said many criminal investigations into internet child predators lead to Discord, according to the announcement. The office intends to determine why the platform is used so heavily by predators and what measures are being taken to protect children.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman said in the release that offenders use platforms such as Roblox and Discord as access points to reach children. Hoffman said predators who exploit children will be found, arrested, and held accountable.
Predators often contact minors on other platforms, including video games such as Roblox and Fortnite, before encouraging them to move communications to Discord, the AG's office said. The announcement attributes this shift to what it describes as insufficient protections for children on the chat platform.
Discord is used for messaging, audio, and video calls, according to the release. The attorney general's office said the service has increasingly been identified as a venue where predators communicate with children and distribute or collect child sexual abuse material.
The filing suggests Discord may have violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the announcement said. Uthmeier's office described the probe as part of a broader effort to pursue accountability for what it called exploitative environments on social media and gaming platforms.