EU plans law requiring tech firms to do more to combat child abuse

FILE PHOTO: European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson gives a news conference following the EU High-level Forum on providing protection to Afghans at risk, at the European Commission, in Brussels, Belgium, October 7, 2021. Stephanie Lecocq/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Union plans to legislate in the coming months to require technology companies to do more to tackle child sexual abuse, beefing up current voluntary arrangements, a top official said in a newspaper interview.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told Germany's Welt am Sonntag that internet service providers and social media firms had reported 22 million offences related to child sexual abuse in 2020, up from 17 million in 2019.