EU Extends Mass Scanning of Messages without a Warrant
The measure keeps voluntary scans in place after lawmakers fell 47 votes short of the majority needed to block it.
- On Thursday, the European Parliament voted to extend legislation allowing tech companies to voluntarily scan messages for child sexual abuse material until 2028, despite more Members voting against the regulation than for it.
- The European People's Party forced a vote after the prior interim law expired on April 3, 2026, arguing the temporary system is necessary to identify victims while permanent legislation remains under negotiation.
- Under the amended text, end-to-end encrypted services like WhatsApp and Signal remain exempt, while non-encrypted platforms including Gmail, Instagram DMs, Discord, Snapchat, Skype, and Xbox may choose to implement voluntary detection tools.
- MEP Patrick Breyer criticized the ruling as a "farce" that "damages democracy," as critics argue scanning private communications without suspicion amounts to mass surveillance.
- The amended text now moves to the Council of the European Union for review, where EU governments have three months to approve or reject the amendments before potential conciliation.
26 Articles
26 Articles
The law that allows technology platforms to analyze private messages looking for child abuse content, Chat Control, is back, and it's back by 2028, despite most of the...
The EU Just Legalized Scanning of Private Messages Without a Warrant
On July 9, 2026, the European Parliament allowed a law nicknamed “Chat Control” to pass, even though most of the lawmakers who showed up to vote were against it. The measure permits tech companies operating in the European Union to scan private messages, emails, and chats for law enforcment purposes without first getting a warrant...
EU extends mass scanning of messages without a warrant
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have failed to block a proposal extending the mass scanning of private communications, a measure they have previously rejected twice. This time too, more votes were cast against the proposal than in favor, but due to the absence of numerous MEPs on the eve of the summer recess, the motion to reject did not attain the necessary absolute majority. The proposal passed by default. Similarly, an amendment to …
The EU just revived a law that lets Meta and Google scan your messages – critics call it mass surveillance
Europe's Parliament voted on Thursday to reinstate legislation that allows companies such as Google, Meta, and other digital communication providers to voluntarily scan messages, emails, photos, and other files for illegal content. Supporters and opponents have long argued over whether to make the practice mandatory.Read Entire Article
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