Digital privacy under threat? Our private messages might be monitored under pretext of child protection
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Our private messages might soon be monitored under the pretext of child protection. A decisive vote is expected within days in the European Union on a legislative proposal officially aimed at protecting children, known as “Chat Control”, which could fundamentally alter the very concept of digital privacy. While supporters cite the reduction of online child abuse as its goal, critics argue that the proposal would spell the end of encrypted communication and grant unprecedented surveillance powers to states.
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Chat Control: Is digital privacy under threat?
The essence of the proposal is that major messaging applications—such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Signal, and Telegram—would be required to implement client-side scanning. This means messages would be checked on the user’s device before encryption, HVG reports. If suspicious content were detected, the algorithm would automatically notify the authorities.
The official justification in favour of child protection is that this would effectively identify online abuse against children. However, critics argue that this represents a textbook case of indiscriminate mass surveillance and a serious intrusion into personal privacy.
Civil resistance and international campaigns
The wave of protests was sparked in August by a Danish programmer, Joachim, who created the international campaign site Fight Chat Control. The simple platform enables citizens to send mass protest emails to EU decision-makers and national governments. Since its launch, over 20,000 letters have been sent, nearly filling some MEPs’ inboxes.
At the same time, the alliance stopchatcontrol.eu has brought together European digital rights organisations, which describe the proposal as “the greatest risk to European citizens’ privacy in the last decade”.
Member States’ positions: A deeply divided Council
Member States are sharply divided. Hungary supports the proposal alongside Denmark, France, Spain, Croatia, Portugal, and Malta. Opposition comes from Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, and newly-joining Germany.
From the corrupt, bloated, authoritarian bully that gave us:
* pointless bicycle lanes that stand empty most of the time while motorized traffic piles up,
* those endless annoying cookie warning popups on websites,
* millions of violent, parasitic third-world illegal aliens raping, robbing, and bombing their way across thew continent,
* paper straws that dissolve into mush ten seconds after you put them in your drink, and
* plastic caps now being attached to bottles so you can’t drink a soda or juice without getting it all over your nose and face…
…here is another initiative: Destroy what little is left of privacy online. To Protect The Kids(TM), of course.
We need a revolution, folks. Pronto.