The European Parliament has voted to hold an emergency ballot on Thursday over whether to revive a lapsed regulation allowing platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp to voluntarily scan private messages for child sexual abuse material.
The temporary exemption expired on April 3 after a five-year run, following the Parliament's rejection in March of a European Commission proposal to extend it through 2028. Tuesday's procedural vote passed 331 to 304, with 11 abstentions, clearing the way for the fast-tracked decision.
The European People's Party, the chamber's largest faction, petitioned President Roberta Metsola on June 17 to reopen the file. Member states adopted a common position last week, pushing the proposal into a second reading and setting the stage for Thursday's decisive vote in Strasbourg.