chat control

Leaked EU documents indicate member states plan to legalize mass scanning of private messages indirectly through administrative orders, bypassing lengthy legislative procedures. The revelations come just before crucial trilogue negotiations on the EU's contentious chat control proposal. Critics warn the plan would enable comprehensive surveillance of private communications without proper parliamentary scrutiny, reigniting debate over privacy versus child protection.

Internal documents leaked from the EU Council of Ministers on Tuesday indicate member states are pursuing a new tactic to legalize comprehensive scanning of private communications, according to reports shared by digital rights commentators. Critics say the approach would amount to indiscriminate mass surveillance of citizens' messages. The leaked material has renewed debate over the EU's contentious chat control proposals.

Leaked EU documents, published before a key trilogue round, indicate member states are seeking to legalise indiscriminate mass scanning of private messages through administrative decisions rather than primary legislation. Critics say the workaround would impose blanket surveillance of private communications without a court order, reviving the controversial 'chat control' proposal by indirect means, while supporters argue it targets child sexual abuse material.

The European Commission is making another attempt to push through Chat Control 2.0, a proposal that would require scanning of private messages, widely criticised as mass surveillance. Critics, including MEP Patrick Breyer, are urging citizens to inform themselves about the latest amendments and contact Members of the European Parliament, hoping the Parliament holds its previous position against the plan.

Opponents of the EU's chat control proposal are pressing the European Commission to abandon the plan, calling it 'insane and illegal' and comparing it unfavourably to surveillance in China. A Dutch security expert has warned of a possible 'dirty deal' to push through the introduction of chat scanning, fuelling privacy concerns across Europe.