Findings show that since 2021 a temporary EU rule allowing automated scanning of private messages for child sexual abuse material has led major platforms (Google, Microsoft, Snap, Meta) to scan images and videos from EU users and forward suspected cases to the U.S. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). U.S. law obliges platforms to report tips to NCMEC, which in turn analyzes incoming reports using Palantir’s Foundry platform; Palantir donated software and engineering support and its tools run inside NCMEC’s environment, NCMEC says. The volume is large: platforms processed tens of millions of images and videos from EU users in 2024, NCMEC’s CyberTipline received millions of reports, and EU-origin reports numbered close to one million in 2024.
The reporting highlights transparency, legal and technical concerns: many EU legislators and experts were unaware of Palantir’s role; NCMEC does not specify retention limits; NCMEC is not on the EU’s list of approved U.S. data recipients and relies on alternative transfer mechanisms; and independent tests show far higher false-positive rates than EU claims, raising the risk that consensual or innocent images will be flagged. Exemptions exist for end-to-end encrypted services such as WhatsApp and Signal, while others like Instagram are scanned. Critics warn the system risks mass surveillance and call for stronger oversight and clearer legal safeguards.
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