EU chat control deal expires, halting mass child pornography scanning

From Saturday, online platforms in the European Union will no longer be permitted to carry out mass scanning of private communications in the fight against child pornography.

A transitional arrangement for "voluntary chat control" expires on Friday, with a permanent solution still being negotiated within the bloc.

The European Commission first put forward a proposal for a permanent system for monitoring chats in 2022.

However, the plan is controversial, with data protection advocates describe the possibility of blanket scanning as unwarranted mass surveillance, and warning it is ineffective in protecting children.

A temporary exemption from European data protection rules had allowed providers of online communication services to scan privately sent content for depictions of child abuse.

Companies such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Microsoft and Google were able to scan content using automated programmes to detect and report prohibited depictions of child sexual abuse. This primarily concerned images and videos.

An attempt to further extend the transitional solution failed in the European Parliament.

A majority of MEPs decided checks should only be allowed in specific cases. However, EU member states have so far been unwilling to agree to such restrictions.

Whether and when an agreement can be reached remains to be seen. For the time being, EU data protection rules apply once again on private communications.

Regardless of the European debate on chat monitoring, investigative authorities in every member state can continue to access private communications in specific criminal proceedings.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the expiry of the transitional arrangement as a "serious setback for the protection of our children".

The European Commission and major social networks such as Meta, TikTok and Snapchat had also called for the extension of the exemption in order to protect children.