Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has expanded his investigation into Discord following reports that Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin used the platform.
The probe will examine Discord’s role in exposing minors to extremist content, sexual exploitation, and addictive features. The investigation comes as part of Paxton’s broader Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act enforcement efforts. Discord faces scrutiny over whether it violated legal obligations to protect minors from harmful content.
“I’m standing shoulder to shoulder with the Trump Administration to root out and defeat nihilistic violent extremism in all its forms,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Discord has chosen to allow extremist content, sexual exploitation, and addiction to flourish on its platform. It has a legal obligation to prevent minors from being exposed to these evils, but instead its actions have contributed to the growing wave of nihilistic violence all across our nation.”
Paxton issued an expanded Civil Investigative Demand to Discord on October 9. The demand focuses on extremist content, grooming gangs targeting minors, platform addiction, and connections to violent actors.
This builds on Paxton’s previous investigation into Discord’s privacy and safety practices for young users. That probe examined whether the platform adequately protects children from predators and inappropriate content.
Paxton’s office will investigate Discord’s content moderation policies and their implementation. Investigators will also examine the platform’s role in radicalizing minors and facilitating their exploitation.
Discord has faced mounting criticism over its handling of extremist communities and child safety. The platform’s private server structure has made monitoring difficult for both parents and law enforcement.
