Chat Control 1.0, a voluntary CSAM‑scanning rule, was extended to 2028 after the EU legislature approved it in early 2026. The rule allowed platforms such as Discord and Gmail to scan unencrypted traffic for child sexual abuse material. The new 2.0 proposal, however, would mandate scanning of end‑to‑end encrypted messages, removing the optional nature of 1.0 and eliminating the need for search warrants.

The vote that lifted 1.0 to 2028 passed with 276 votes in favor and 314 against, falling short of the 361‑vote majority required for rejection. The 2.0 bill, now permanent, would grant operators access to all user content. The proposal excludes government communications, raising questions about consistency with the EU’s own data‑breach incidents like the 34‑million‑record DGT leak.

Tech communities point to the Fight Chat Control website, which aggregates current vote tallies by country and enables targetedप्रतिवाद, as a tool for civic engagement. The debate centers on balancing child‑protection measures with privacy rights across a jebulk 450‑million‑user base.