EU Parliament Passes 'Chat Control' Despite Majority Opposition
Original: A Majority of European Lawmakers Voted Against Letting Big Tech Read Our Messages. They’re Going to Anyway
Why This Matters
The ruling sets a precedent for mass private message scanning across major platforms in the EU, with implications for digital privacy globally.
The European Parliament voted to extend 'Chat Control' legislation allowing Meta, Google, and Microsoft to voluntarily scan private messages for child sexual abuse material through 2028, despite more MEPs voting against the measure than for it.
The European Parliament has passed an extension of the so-called 'Chat Control' legislation, reinstating legal authority for tech companies including Meta, Google, and Microsoft to voluntarily scan users' private texts, emails, and social media messages for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The bill passed through a procedural maneuver called 'urgent procedure,' which requires an absolute majority of 361 MEPs to block — not merely more votes against than for. Opponents fell 47 votes short of that threshold, meaning the regulation passed even though more members voted against it than for it. End-to-end encrypted services such as WhatsApp and Signal remain exempt under the current rules. The European People's Party (EPP), the Parliament's largest political bloc, pushed to restore the scanning permissions after a prior law expired in April. EPP vice-chair Tomas Tobé argued the measures are essential for child protection. Critics, including civil rights group European Digital Rights and former MEP Patrick Breyer, condemned the outcome. Breyer called it a 'farce' that 'damages democracy.' The extended permissions will remain in place until 2028 or until permanent legislation — also referred to as 'Chat Control' — is enacted.