MEPs have expressed their support for extending an exemption to privacy legislation that facilitates the voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online until 3 August 2027. In a recent vote, the proposal received 458 votes in favour, 103 against, and 63 abstentions, leading to the endorsement of a temporary extension of the existing derogation of the ePrivacy Directive, which is scheduled to expire on 3 April 2026. This extension is intended to aid in the development of a comprehensive legal framework aimed at preventing and addressing child sexual abuse online.
“We have a responsibility to address the horrific crime of child sexual abuse while safeguarding everyone’s fundamental rights,” said rapporteur Birgit Sippel (S&D, Germany) after the vote.
“This interim derogation, which I support, is a temporary, strictly limited instrument allowing providers to continue voluntary detection measures under specific conditions. At the same time, this extension must uphold end-to-end encryption. Reducing the scope of the extension to previously identified and hashed child sexual abuse material and material raised by flaggers is both necessary and justified for a proportionate framework that will withstand judicial scrutiny and provide sustainable protection for children,” the rapporteur added.
The initial extension of the voluntary exemption occurred in 2024. The Parliament has been prepared to engage in negotiations regarding the long-term framework since November 2023. Following the Council’s adoption of its position in November 2025, discussions regarding the permanent law have progressed.
While MEPs advocate for the continuation of the derogation, they emphasise that the voluntary measures must be both proportional and targeted, explicitly excluding applications to end-to-end encrypted communications. Furthermore, they assert that the scanning of traffic data alongside content data should not be permitted.
MEPs have stated that the technology utilised for the voluntary detection of CSAM should apply solely to materials that have been previously identified as such, or flagged as potential CSAM by users, trusted flaggers, or relevant organisations. Targeted measures should focus on users or specific groups reasonably suspected of connections to CSAM. The Parliament is now prepared to enter negotiations with the Council concerning the extension of this exemption.
