EU data row threatens to investigate child abuse

News Desk: Global internet firms could be banned from automatically detecting child abuse images on their systems from as early as next Monday, amid  row over privacy laws within the European Union.

The companies voluntarily assist police across the UK and Europe but face being forced to stop the work.

Talks are ongoing to try and create an exemption for the tech giants.

 

Child safety experts say if the row is unresolved the law will inadvertently make it easier for abusers.

The threat to the investigations has been triggered by attempts in the European Parliament to protect private online communications from monitoring by internet companies.

However, the new rules, could prevent those same companies using software to automatically scan for child sexual abuse material going through their systems.

The tools developed over a decade can identify:

Newly-created violent and exploitative images that have not yet been logged by investigators

Online conversations which have the hallmarks of abusers grooming victims