EU to again vote to extend ‘chat control’ rules

So-called “chat control” rules could be revived in the EU, with lawmakers again set to vote on the legislation Thursday.

EU lawmakers are set to vote again on controversial legislation dubbed “chat control” by its critics, which would allow tech firms to scan messages for child sexual abuse material.

On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted through a rarely used urgent procedure that will bring lawmakers to a vote Thursday on whether to extend the legal framework, which expired in early April.

“Today’s vote violates our own rules of procedure, the European Parliament decided to use an urgent procedure for Chat Control 1.0,” Pirate Party MEP Markéta Gregorová said on Tuesday. “This means that on Thursday, we will once again vote on extending the derogation that allowed online platforms to scan our private communications.”