In response to questions regarding the technical feasibility of scanning securely encrypted messages and the assessments that Ofcom must make, Lord Parkinson, a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport minister, said: “If the appropriate technology does not exist that meets these requirements, then Ofcom will not be able to use Clause 122 to require its use.”

Clause 122 in the Online Safety Bill relates to online terrorism and child exploitation content.

Parkinson said: “A notice can be issued only where technically feasible and where technology has been accredited as meeting minimum standards of accuracy.”

Thus no scanning of end-to-end encrypted messages unless it is technically feasible to do so. Quantum computing, anyone?