Gmail, Messenger, and Skype will be checking messages for two more years. The European Parliament has extended until April 2028 a rule that allows platforms without end-to-end encryption to scan private messages in search of child abuse materials. Nothing will change for users: this check has been in effect since 2021.
The result of the vote turned out to be ambiguous: the majority of the deputies who participated in the vote supported the repeal of the rule, but the required number of votes was not enough. 314 deputies supported the repeal, with 361 required. Therefore, the document remained in effect, despite the preponderance of supporters of the repeal among those who voted.
The European Parliament had to vote twice
Regulation 2021/1232 has been in effect since August 2021. In March, the European Parliament rejected its extension, and on April 3, 2026, the document became invalid. But after the EU Council adopted its position, the issue returned to a second vote. The largest faction of the European Parliament, the European People’s Party— has achieved accelerated consideration, bypassing the committee stage.
What will happen to WhatsApp and Signal?
At the same time, the European Parliament approved an amendment that protects messages with end-to-end encryption from scanning. These are WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram, as well as encrypted mail like Proton and Tuta. Services without such protection, such as Gmail, Facebook Messenger, Skype, and Snapchat, continue to be subject to the norm. The amendment has been sent to the EU Council, which must decide its fate by October 9th. Prior to this, an exception for encrypted correspondence is not guaranteed.
Arguments for and against
Supporters of the extension in the European Parliament insist that scanning cannot be the only tool for protecting children, but remains an important measure.
Human rights activists object that the norm violates digital rights: It actually gives companies the ability to check private messages, photos, and videos. Critics also warn that the incident is a blow to democracy, which threatens the future permanent law on the protection of children.
Negotiations on the new regulations will resume in September. Among the suggestions is mandatory scanning of messages even before they are encrypted. The Legal Service of the Council of the EU has previously pointed out possible problems with such a rule, therefore, a claim to the EU Court is not excluded.
The vote was monitored by Cyprus independent MEP Fidias Panagiotou. Before the vote, he informed subscribers that, in his opinion, the decision had already been made in advance.
https://lenta.cy/evroparlament-ostavil-v-sile-skanirovanie-perepiski-do-2028-goda/
