ChatControl Wants to Scan All Your Private Messages The European Union is pushing legislation known as ChatControl (CSAR - Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse), which would require all messaging and communication platforms to scan users’ private messages and images automatically, including encrypted apps like Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram. This surveillance would be mandatory, leaving no opt-out option. --- Overview Applies across all EU member states, overriding national laws and constitutional protections. Justified officially as a child protection measure against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Scans both text and multimedia content pre-encryption, effectively bypassing true end-to-end encryption. Surveillance mandates extend to messaging platforms, email, dating apps, gaming chats, social media, file hosting (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox), app stores, and even small community hosting services. Introduces mass, government-mandated surveillance under the guise of protecting children. --- How ChatControl Works Client-Side Scanning Scans content before encryption on your device. Checks for: Known illegal content via hash fingerprint matching against authorized databases. Unknown potential CSAM flagged by AI analyzing visual elements. Grooming behavior detected through AI text analysis looking for indicators. Anything flagged is automatically reported to authorities without human review. Centralized EU body would receive reports, but scanning tech governance stays with providers. Encryption and Privacy Issues This completely bypasses end-to-end encryption by examining content on devices prior to encryption. Seen by experts and privacy advocates as potentially worse than encryption backdoors. Scanning software becomes an intrusive surveillance tool embedded in user devices. Government and law enforcement accounts are exempt, raising concerns about double standards. --- Real-World Impact Encryption Concerns Represents a major rollback in digital privacy rights established since Edward Snowden’s revelations. European digital rights and cybersecurity companies face impossible requirements undermining market competitiveness. Privacy-focused services like Signal threaten to leave the EU rather than comply. Switzerland, UK, and other countries pursue similarly invasive surveillance measures. False Positives Studies show around 80% of automated flags are false positives, wrongly accusing innocent content. Police resources risk being overwhelmed, and innocent users could face serious repercussions based on inaccurate AI flags. Real cases exist where legitimate content (e.g., medical photos) has been falsely flagged and accounts terminated. Scientific and Expert Opposition Over 600 cryptographers and security experts signed letters denouncing the proposal as technically infeasible and a democratic threat. Critics emphasize lack of evidence supporting effectiveness and risks to security and civil rights. Easily Defeated Various well-known evasion tactics exist, such as: Using layered encryption or simple ciphers. Sharing links to external platforms hosting content. Employing custom open-source messaging clients. Using steganography to hide data inside innocent-looking images. Moving to decentralized or non-EU platforms. Thus, ChatControl targets mainly amateur offenders and mainly enables mass civilian surveillance. --- Business and Political Interests Industry Players Surveillance technology vendors (e.g., Thorn, Microsoft PhotoDNA) stand to profit from mandatory adoption. Systems are proprietary, closed-source, legally authoritative, and unaccountable. A feedback loop: companies develop tech and lobby for laws requiring their use. Rhetorical Tactics Framing opposition as being “against children’s welfare” stifles debate. -