The EU’s pro
posal for chatcontrol resurfaced after the summer break, reigniting debates about privacy and surveillance. At the core is the plan to implement ClientSideScanning of encrypted messages, raising concerns about mass surveillance. This technology would scan messages directly on users’ devices before they are encrypted, aiming to detect illegal content like child exploitation. However, critics argue that this undermines end-to-end encryption, effectively creating backdoors for government surveillance.
Disclosure orders would require tech companies to hand over user data to authorities, bypassing traditional checks and balances. The combination of these measures is seen as a direct threat to fundamental rights, such as the right to privacy and freedom of expression, as it allows for unprecedented access to personal data without adequate oversight.
These developments raise questions about how far governments should go in surveillance and whether the need for security justifies such a broad infringement on individual liberties.
The proposed client-side scanning and disclosure orders have significant implications for ordinary people. For regular users, these measures could lead to the scanning of all private communications, regardless of suspicion. Although intended to prevent crime, this system risks normalizing #massSurveillance, compromising privacy even for law-abiding citizens.
Worse, the potential for abuse by authorities is real. Governments could misuse these powers to target political dissidents, journalists, or activists, using the broad surveillance capabilities to monitor any individual without proper oversight or justification. This undermines fundamental freedoms like privacy and expression, fostering a climate of mistrust and control. Scan your mobile