- The European Parliament passed legislation allowing voluntary scanning of messages for child sexual abuse material until 2028.
- Lawmakers approved an exemption to protect end-to-end encrypted communications, handing a partial win to privacy advocates.
- The legislation will now proceed to the Council of the EU for final approval or rejection.
The European Parliament voted on Thursday to pass a controversial law permitting tech firms to voluntarily scan messages for child sexual abuse material until 2028, a move critics have dubbed “chat control.” Only 314 lawmakers voted against extending the expired framework, short of the 361 needed to block it, while 276 supported the measure.
The vote revives rules that expired in April, sparking debate among privacy and cryptography advocates over its impact on message encryption. However, Parliament passed an exemption to exclude communications using end-to-end encryption, providing a small victory for cypherpunks.
Pirate Party MEP Markéta Gregorová described the outcome as “a bittersweet victory.” She stated that securing an absolute majority for the encryption exemption was a priority, but acknowledged that voluntary mass scanning had unfortunately passed. Supporters of the law argue it is vital for protecting children and combating abusive material.
The legislation will now be sent back to the Council of the EU, a body of ministers from member nations. Meanwhile, former MEP Breyer noted that the political battle over the permanent “Chat Control 2.0” is just getting started, calling the resistance in Parliament so strong that a majority for permanent mass scanning is a “complete pipe dream.” Negotiations for the permanent law will resume in September.
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