MEPs debated with the Council and the Commission and voted during the plenary session on a temporary regulation that allows the providers of web-based email, chats and messaging services to voluntarily detect, remove and report child sexual abuse online as well as to use scanning technologies to detect cyber grooming. During the debate, MEPs stressed about ensuring a right balance between children's protection and safeguarding privacy.

digital single market (T)

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

vote

SIPPEL, Birgit (S&D, DE)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

fight against child sex crimes (T)

rights of the child (T)

children's rights (T)

ZARZALEJOS, Javier (EPP, ES)

KANKO, Assita (ECR, BE)

BREYER, Patrick (Greens/EFA, DE)

JOHANSSON, Ylva (SE, EC)

European child guarantee (T)

Combating online child sexual abuse: extracts from the debate (05/07) and from the vote

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/3427967/I208830Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (German), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), This legislation would allow a number of different technologies, the so-called "hashing" has been used for many years and help identify these cases of abuse, whether it's videos or pictures you could in this way predefine the digital fingerprints of those involved and as a rapporteur I have previously emphasized that I will not prevent this practice, but would have voted for additional protective measures.

SOUNDBITE (German), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), What is a bit more controversial was and is the use of artificial intelligence to read messages for the detection of unknown material and possible cyber-grooming. The commission has looked at these issues with regards to child abuse. It will take a long time to find a good and sustainable solution when we are dealing with this type of communication on the Internet.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, This interim regulation ends uncertainly for companies. It does not end the danger to children. This is only a temporary solution to fix an acute emergency. We need a permanent answer to counter a persistent threat against children. Still, this year, I will propose new permanent EU rules. Rules that will include detecting and reporting obligations for companies and will provide a solid legal basis for the provider's activities. Because voluntary reporting is not enough. Right now, 95 percent of all reports come from one single service provider. It's time for all providers to live up to their responsibilities to make sure that no one can use their services to spread videos or pictures of children being raped, or worse, facilitate the rape of children.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, I also want to fulfil a request by the European Parliament to set up a European centre to prevent and counter child sexual abuse, a European centre to help companies and law enforcement to detect and report online child sexual abuse, to help police, to rescue children, to provide oversight and transparency and accountability.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES), The figures of sexual abuse of minors are terrible. The massive consumption of the Internet during the lockdown clearly showed how vulnerable children are to sex predators and traffickers. This is why my group insisted on expanding the technologies to those that can detect not only the material of sexual abuse, as we already knew about, but also new technology and grooming and sexual harassment. We are aware that legislation of this nature needs additional guarantees and safeguards and we have introduced them in the new regulations to minimize the risks that privacy may run when processing this data. .

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN &apos;T VELD (Renew, NL), We also know that there's been, I would say, almost undue pressure on the process, including moral blackmail, not least by Facebook, who put pressure on the process by stopping or reducing their activities. And I think that's absolutely scandalous. I very much agree with the arguments that have been put forward by my Green colleagues. But I would like to say one thing to my Green colleagues. Politics is not about choices between good and evil. Politics is mainly about shitty dilemmas and making difficult choices and standing by it.

SOUNDBITE (German), Patrick BREYER (Greens/EFA, DE), Commissioner, you're not protecting children with this legislation, these sort of people who abuse children do not use Facebook or Google. According to police reports, up to 86 percent of automated criminal charges hit hunchbacks. I'm a father myself. I want my children to be protected properly. And effectively and that they can grow up with private rooms and private discussions. Children and adolescents also have the right to private spheres. And this illegal surveillance measure goes against that fundamental right. According to this totalitarian logic, even our bedrooms should be under constant surveillance as potential opportunities for abuse. What are you planning next ? 72% of EU citizens do not want that their private and intimate messages and chats become a bit too nude photos. 72 percent of the EU citizens do not want their private and intimate chats to be looked at by other companies, including naked pictures.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Assita KANKO (ECR, BE), I'm very pleased that technology companies will now be able to pursue grooming issues to protect our privacy. I think that strikes a good balance between the protection of children, but also the protection of privacy and data. But we have to remain vigilant and keep a watching brief on this and improve it when necessary.

EP Vice-President  Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&amp;D,PT) starts the announcements of the results of the votes of the first voting session

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&amp;D, PT), EP Vice-President, Vote on the report by Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D,DE) on Combating online child sexual abuse : the amendment 39 has been adopted in first reading