European Parliament Passes Voluntary Scanning Law for Private Messages

The European Parliament passed the Chat Control 1.0 regulation on July 9, 2026, authorizing voluntary mass scanning of private messages on unencrypted platforms to detect child sexual abuse material. The law applies to services such as Gmail, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger. Despite 314 members voting against the measure—a majority of those present—the law passed because the opposition did not reach the 361-vote absolute majority required under second-reading procedural rules.

This legislative outcome followed a strategic maneuver by the European People's Party and the Council of the European Union to revive the regulation after its initial rejection in March 2026. To address privacy concerns, lawmakers adopted an amendment that explicitly exempts end-to-end encrypted services, such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram, from these scanning requirements. These interim measures reinstate rules that previously operated from 2021 to April 2026.

The current derogation remains in effect until April 3, 2028, while negotiations for a permanent Chat Control 2.0 regulation continue. Critics have condemned the procedural approach as a blow to democracy and privacy, citing the risk of high false-positive rates in AI detection. Lawmakers and EU member states now have three months to determine whether to accept further amendments to the original 2022 proposal drafted by the European Commission.