European Parliament Extends Permission for Voluntary Scanning of Child Abuse Material
歐洲議會延長允許自願掃描兒童虐待內容的權限
Introduction
The European Parliament has approved a temporary legal extension that allows technology companies to scan private messages for material related to the sexual abuse of children.
歐洲議會已批准一項臨時法律延期，允許科技公司掃描私人訊息，以搜查與兒童性虐待相關的內容。
Main Body
This legal measure brings back a temporary exception to the ePrivacy Directive that had ended in April. Consequently, electronic communication providers—such as Meta, Google, and Microsoft—are now permitted to voluntarily identify and report cases of online child abuse. However, it is important to note that end-to-end encrypted messages are excluded from this process, which means the security of platforms like Signal and WhatsApp remains protected.
這項法律措施恢復了四月份結束的《電子隱私指令》臨時豁免項。因此，電子通訊提供商——例如 Meta、Google 和 Microsoft——現在獲准自願識別並舉報網路兒童虐待個案。然而，值得注意的是，端對端加密訊息不在此過程之內，這意味著 Signal 和 WhatsApp 等平台的安全性仍受到保障。
The adoption of this measure was marked by significant disagreement. The European People's Party (EPP) emphasized that this framework is necessary to protect minors from vulnerability. To speed up the process before the summer break, the EPP used an 'urgent procedure.' This method bypassed the usual committee discussions and required a majority of 361 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to vote against it for the regulation to be rejected. Although many lawmakers opposed the measure, they did not reach the required number of votes to stop it.
此項措施的通過伴隨著顯著的分歧。歐洲人民黨 (EPP) 強調，該框架對於保護未成年人免於脆弱處境至關重要。為了在暑假前加速流程，EPP 使用了「緊急程序」。此方法繞過了通常的委員會討論，且需要 361 名歐洲議會議員 (MEP) 投票反對，該法規才會被否決。儘管許多立法者反對該措施，但他們未能達到阻止其通過所需的票數。
Critics of the legislation argue that this move damages digital privacy. For instance, representatives from European Digital Rights and former MEP Patrick Breyer asserted that voluntary scanning is a form of mass surveillance and violates the right to private communication. This authorization will remain in place until 2028, or until a permanent law is finalized, a process that has been developing since early 2026.
該立法的批評者認為此舉損害了數位隱私。例如，歐洲數位權利組織的代表與前歐洲議會議員 Patrick Breyer 主張，自願掃描是一種大規模監控，且違反了私人通訊權。此授權將維持至 2028 年，或直到正式法律敲定為止，而該法律程序自 2026 年初開始發展。
Conclusion
The temporary permission to scan messages is now active, while the European Parliament and the European Council conduct a final review.
掃描訊息的臨時權限目前已生效，而歐洲議會與歐洲理事會正進行最後審查。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'Logic Bridge': From A2 Simple Sentences to B2 Complex Connections
At the A2 level, you usually write like this: The law is temporary. It lasts until 2028. To reach B2, you must stop writing two small sentences and start building one 'power sentence' using Connectors of Result and Contrast.
🔍 The Discovery: How the Article Does It
Look at this specific phrase from the text:
*"Consequently, electronic communication providers... are now permitted to voluntarily identify and report cases..."
The Magic Word: "Consequently" In A2, you use "so". In B2, you use "Consequently". It does the same job, but it sounds professional, academic, and authoritative.
🛠️ The B2 Upgrade Path
| A2 Style (Basic) | B2 Style (Advanced) | The Tool Used |
|---|---|---|
| It was urgent, so they used a fast process. | It was urgent; consequently, they used an urgent procedure. | Result Connector |
| Some people like it, but others hate it. | Although many lawmakers opposed the measure, they did not stop it. | Contrast Connector |
| The law is old. That is why it ended in April. | The exception to the directive had ended in April; hence, a new measure was needed. | Formal Logical Link |
💡 Pro-Tip for Fluency
When you see a comma after a word at the start of a sentence (like Consequently, ... or However, ...), that is a signal that the writer is guiding your logic.
Try this mental shift: Next time you want to say "But", replace it with "However,". Next time you want to say "So", replace it with "Consequently,".
This simple change in vocabulary transforms your English from 'basic communication' to 'professional expression.'