EU allows temporary tracking of child sexual abuse in encrypted messaging apps
28 Jul 2026Effective: 24 Jul 202683 views
Who is affected:
Providers of encrypted messaging apps and interpersonal communications operating in the EU
Summary
Messaging apps without phone numbers will be able to analyze content to detect child sexual abuse. This is a temporary exception to European privacy rules.
Detailed analysis
PRO
Regulation (EU) 2026/1881 establishes a temporary exception to the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/CE) to allow providers of interpersonal communication services independent of numbering —such as encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal or similar— to process personal and content data for the purpose of detecting, re…
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OJ:L_202601881: Reglamento (UE) 2026/1881 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 24 de julio de 2026, por el que se establece una excepción temporal a determinadas disposiciones de la Directiva 2002/58/CE en lo que respecta al uso de tecnologías por proveedores de servicios de comunicaciones interpersonales independientes de la numeración para el tratamiento de datos personales y de otro tipo con fines de lucha contra los abusos sexuales de menores en línea (Texto pertinente a efectos del EEE)
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