European Union lawmakers voted Thursday to restore a set of temporary regulations that would permit Google, Meta Platforms, and other major online services to identify and remove child sexual abuse content from their platforms.
At the same time, lawmakers voted to shield end-to-end encrypted messaging services — including WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal — from the scanning requirements, reflecting ongoing concerns that broad surveillance measures could put user privacy at risk.
The debate has drawn a sharp divide between those pushing for stronger online child safety protections and privacy advocates who warn that mass scanning tools could be misused for wider surveillance purposes.
Last month, EU member nations and lawmakers were unable to reach a deal on permanent regulations, with both sides clashing over how broadly detection efforts should apply.
The temporary rules, which were in effect from 2021 until this past April, had given online platforms a pass from strict EU privacy requirements while officials worked toward a long-term legislative solution to address child pornography online.
Lawmaker Marketa Gregorova of the Pirate Party expressed reservations about bringing the interim rules back. “Protecting encryption was one of our priorities, and I am therefore glad that we managed to secure an absolute majority for an amendment that at least preserves encryption,” she said. “At the same time, however, voluntary mass scanning unfortunately passed.”
EU member countries now have three months to weigh in on whether they support the changes approved by the European Parliament.
The European Commission first put forward a draft proposal on child sexual abuse material back in 2022, but the path to turning it into law has been slow, with criticism coming from both sides of the debate.
Major technology companies have pushed back against any mandate that would require messaging services, app stores, and internet providers to flag and remove both known and newly discovered images and videos depicting child abuse, as well as instances of grooming.
