The European Commission has presented legislation today about the dreaded Chat Control. Here’s Patrick Breyer’s comments on the matter:
“Apart from ineffective web blocking, the proposed chat control threatens to destroy digital privacy of correspondence and secure encryption. Scanning personal cloud storage would result in the mass surveillance of private photos.
Mandatory age verification would end anonymous communication. Appstore censorship would be the end of secure messenger apps and patronise young people. The proposal does not include the overdue obligation on law enforcement agencies to report and remove known abusive material on the net, nor does it provide for Europe-wide standards for effective prevention measures, victim support and counselling and effective criminal investigations.
Von der Leyen continues to chart the territory of censorship, mass surveillance, anonymity bans and paternalism, while leaving the activities of child porn rings completely untouched. The proposed measures deprive the entire population of trust, self-determination and security on the net. This plan is nothing other than terrorism against our digital fundamental rights, which I will not relent to fight.”
And here’s a link to the regulation’s details if you wish to see for yourself: