EU revives debate on child‑abuse chat‑scanning legislation

EU member states have moved to place the controversial "chat control" measure back on the agenda, seeking to extend a temporary exception that lets online platforms scan private messages for sexual abuse material involving children. The exemption, which expired in April, previously allowed services such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Microsoft and Google to use automated tools to detect and report illegal content.

The European Parliament had rejected an earlier extension, arguing that such checks should be limited to cases with concrete suspicion. Parliament President Roberta Metsola urged a new compromise, and the chamber is set to consider the proposal again next week, with a possible urgent procedure vote that could lead to a final decision within days. The debate pits child‑protection goals against concerns over privacy and data‑protection rights.