Indiana Senator Jim Banks Targets Discord Over Violent Acts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Indiana Senator Jim Banks is demanding answers from Discord, the popular messaging platform, following a series of violent incidents with connections to the app.
In a letter sent to CEO Humam Sakhnini, Senator Banks expressed “grave concern over Discord’s connection to violence throughout the country.”
The letter highlights several recent cases, including the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk. According to Senator Banks, law enforcement reports show the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, used Discord to communicate with his roommate after the crime, and confessed in a group chat.
Senator Banks states that this is not an isolated incident. He cited a Washington Post report from 2024 that detailed how a cybercriminal gang, known as 764, uses the platform to groom children, encourage self-harm, and solicit sexual content. The letter also referenced multiple school shooters who used Discord to discuss their plans.
“Discord has had ample notice that its platform is being used to radicalize young men, abuse children, and plan acts of domestic terrorism,” the letter reads. “Discord’s continued connections to cases involving predators and deranged killers concerns me greatly.”
In his letter, Senator Banks has given the company a deadline of September 26, 2025, to respond to a series of specific questions, including:
What measures Discord has in place to ensure users are not planning violent attacks or abusing minors.
What steps the company takes if it becomes aware a user is planning a violent attack.
Whether Discord has turned over all of Tyler Robinson’s messages to law enforcement.
What steps Discord has taken to fortify its app in light of past reports of its use by extremists and criminals.
Senator Banks concluded the letter by stating, “Discord must come clean about the use of its software by extremists and explain what steps it is taking to fix this issue.”
