Is the EU Chat Control 2.0 legislation a threat to free speech in the UK?
The EU's proposed Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, known as Chat Control 2.0, aims to require online platforms to detect known and new child sexual abuse material in private messages and public content. As of late September 2026, trilogue negotiations postponed decisions on mass scanning of private communications, with the European Parliament resisting broad search plans while agreeing on some public content measures. An interim voluntary scanning regime remains in force until 2028 and excludes end-to-end encrypted services. The UK is not bound by EU law but faces parallel debates over online safety and encryption under its own legislation.
4 Opinions
Care must be taken on misuse or mission creep, but if these controls are in place and effective how can you object ton a measure that helps prevent child abuse
The implementation of scanning does add to the threat on free speech as tech companies have already been utilizing such data to develop their algorithms. The difference now is that these companies may share details with authorities to assist in crime prevention, rather than relying on the police to seize devices after the crime has happened. This shift reduces the capacity of major tech firms to decline sharing vital data to the police it now becomes their obligation to.
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech." - Benjamin Franklin We must be accountable for what we say. We must correct our record when we realise we are wrong. Above all, though, we must also take responsibility for the things we choose to believe without question. None of these is something you should contract out to a third party.
Yes, our only sources of truth soon will mimic this abomination. Predictable, as usually, attempts to censorship and invigilation of the own citizens under the banner of children protection. In the lights of grooming scandal it is at least inappropriate.