EU member states on July 23 approved a temporary extension allowing online platforms to scan for child sexual abuse material without violating ePrivacy rules. The measure, previously active from 2021 to April 2025, now runs until April 3, 2028, and exempts end-to-end encrypted services. Lawmakers had approved the stopgap two weeks earlier, following a 2022 European Commission draft.
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“EU countries to restore interim measure on allowing Big Tech to fight online child pornography”
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The extension prioritizes child safety by enabling platforms to remove exploitation material while exempting encrypted services to protect privacy.
“Urgency of protecting vulnerable minors and need for democratic accountability in permanent rules.”
The decision acknowledges that child protection requires exceptions to privacy rules, though the encryption exemption limits effectiveness.
“Precedence of concrete child safety outcomes over abstract data rights and regulatory constraints.”
The policy creates tension between child protection and individual privacy by authorizing platform scanning while preserving encryption exemptions.
“Risk of normalizing surveillance and preference for targeted law enforcement over intermediary scanning.”
All views assume platform scanning equals effective protection without examining whether the measure is voluntary, its unproven efficacy, or the stalled permanent legislation.
“Unexamined operational claims and legislative failure behind repeated temporary extensions.”
Ratings by MBFC