The European Council has extended the temporary Regulation (EU) 2021/1232, commonly referred to as Chat Control 1.0, until 2028. This regulation permits internet service providers to voluntarily scan unencrypted communications on platforms including Discord and Gmail for CSAM material.
What is Chat Control 1.0
Officially titled the Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse, the measure has been in force since 2021. It applies to email and messaging providers, allowing them to conduct voluntary mass scanning of user traffic. Because the regulation is time-limited, periodic extensions are required.
Chat Control 2.0 Proposal
A follow-up proposal, COM(2022) 209, would make scanning mandatory and extend it to encrypted communications. This approach directly conflicts with the principles of end-to-end encryption used in modern messaging services. Privacy advocates argue that the measure would grant authorities access to all private correspondence across Europe.
The Chat Control 2.0 draft is intended as permanent legislation rather than a temporary regime. It remains under active debate in both the European Parliament and the Council.
How the Extension Was Approved
The original deadline for the current regime was April 2026. The European Commission proposed an extension, while the Parliament sought amendments to limit scanning and protect encryption. The Council rejected these changes. A parliamentary vote scheduled for 9 July 2026, the final plenary session before summer recess, saw 112 members absent. The motion to block the extension received 314 votes in favor and 276 against, with 17 abstentions, falling short of the 361-vote threshold needed.
Investigations by Balkan Insight highlighted close links between Commissioner Ilva Johansson's cabinet and the U.S. nonprofit Thorn, a vendor of CSAM detection software, as well as the WeProtect Global Alliance. The European Data Protection Supervisor ruled that targeted advertising promoting the regulation on X in several member states violated EU data-protection rules by excluding users based on political interests.
