A Majority of European Lawmakers Voted Against Letting Big Tech Read Our Messages. They’re Going to Anyway

The European Parliament voted to reinstate permissions for tech companies (e.g., Meta, Google, Microsoft) to voluntarily scan private text, email, and social media messages for child sexual abuse material until 2028 or until new permanent law is adopted; end-to-end encrypted chats remain exempt. The decision followed a procedural ‘urgent’ vote after prior legislation expired, drew strong privacy objections from civil-rights groups and some MEPs, and was criticized as undemocratic by opponents.