Context: Chat Control 2.0: EU governments set to approve the end of private messaging and secure encryption
“By making a minor concession EU governments hope to find a majority next week to approve the controversial ‘chat control’ bill. According to the proposed child sexual abuse regulation (CSAR), providers of messengers, e-mail and chat services would be forced to automatically search all private messages and photos for suspicious content and report it to the EU. To find a majority for this unprecedented mass surveillance, the EU Council Presidency proposed Tuesday that the scanners would initially search for previously classified CSAM only, and even less reliable technology to classify unknown imagery or conversations would be reserved to a later stage. The proposed „deal“ will be discussed by ambassadors tomorrow and could be adopted by ministers next week.”
Fairly fucking sure this is a nothingburger like Art. 13-17 was, and will not break E2EE messengers.
The reason:
Encryption plays an essential role in securing communications. The international human rights law test of legality, necessity and proportionality should be applied to any measures that would affect encryption. Both the UN Commissioner for Human Rights[1]and the European Data Protection Supervisor[2]have concluded that the EU’s proposal for a regulation on child sexual abuse material fails this test[3].
A recent article published by Wired[4]described a European Council survey of Member States’ views on regulating encryption. In its response to the survey, Spain stated that there should be legislation prohibiting EU-based service providers from implementing end-to-end encryption.
Requiring platforms and device manufacturers to build back doors to facilitate law enforcement access would make everyone more susceptible to malicious hacking from criminals and foreign adversaries alike[5]. Measures allowing public authorities to access the content of communications affect the essence of the right to privacy.
1.Which encryption experts did the Commission consult when preparing its proposal for a regulation on child sexual abuse material?
2.Will the Commission revise its position on encryption in view of the opinions of human rights associations and experts?
3.Given the abuse of Pegasus, how will the Commission ensure that the fundamental right to privacy is protected if a Member State, such as Spain, decides to ban encryption?
Submitted: 24.5.2023
[1] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘The right to privacy in the digital age’, A/HRC/51/17, 4 August 2022, para. 28, https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/ahrc5117-right-privacy-digital-age. [2] https://edps.europa.eu/press-publications/press-news/press-releases/2022/combat-child-sexual-abuse-online-presents-serious-risks-fundamental-rights_en. [3] https://home.crin.org/readlistenwatch/stories/privacy-and-protection. [4] https://www.wired.com/story/europe-break-encryption-leaked-document-csa-law/. [5] https://cdt.org/area-of-focus/government-surveillance/encryption-and-government-hacking/.Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2023-001661_EN.html (EUP Parliamentary question E-001661/2023)
So yeah, it is now established that forcing law enforcement on E2EE messaging services goes against human rights. glhf EUC
A law like this would violate the rights of all EU citizens. The courts would (should!) strike this law down immediately
Criminals aren’t going to be using services that comply anyways. They’ll have their own underground ones. This is just a violation of regular citizens rights.
iT’s fOr yOuR kiDs sAfEtY!!1!1!1! As much as I like being in EU, I hate this and hope it doesn’t pass.
Honestly Europe is pretty overrated. I know it varies from country to country, but my experiences in Sweden were nothing but disappointments. People here nut their pants over the positives while completely ignoring the many negatives.
In Czech Republic it’s kinda opposite. People nut their pants over paper straws and Coca-Cola caps you can’t remove and they completely ignore the bilions of euros EU gave us (there are the built from EU funds signs basically everywhere). Also some populist politicians saw the oportunity in this and for example our ex premier now makes cringe Tik-Toks where he shits on EU and green deal, even though he was the premier and his party leading goverment when the green deal was approved and he wasn’t against it. Now he says how EU is bad and how it’s fault of current government. This was one example, but there are many czech politicians trying to milk the general dissatisfaction with EU, making it even worse.
I don’t care about politics, I’m talking about actually living there.
