As the European Union takes a new step in the fight against child abuse, it opens a major debate on digital privacy and security.
The EU’s new draft law requires bulk scanning of all digital messages, including encrypted messages, to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Privacy or security?
The bill calls for an “upload moderation” system to review all messages, shared images, videos, and links. Each platform will need to obtain permission from users for this screening. Those who do not give permission will not be able to share content. While the bill emphasizes the importance of end-to-end encryption, it also states that this encryption can create a safe environment for the spread of abusive material. This contradiction is causing great controversy in the world of technology.
Is it possible to scan without breaking encryption?
The EU aims to protect the confidentiality of end-to-end encryption while keeping messages open to scanning. To achieve this goal, a system is proposed whereby messages can be scanned before they are encrypted. However, this proposal has drawn the ire of privacy-focused messaging apps like Signal. Signal’s president, Meredith Whittaker, explains that the bill fundamentally weakens encryption and that the app will cease to operate in the EU. Whittaker emphasizes that such approaches will lead to security vulnerabilities, removing the protection of unbreakable math and replacing it with a high-value vulnerability.
📣Official statement: the new EU chat controls proposal for mass scanning is the same old surveillance with new branding.
Whether you call it a backdoor, a front door, or “upload moderation” it undermines encryption & creates significant vulnerabilitieshttps://t.co/g0xNNKqquA pic.twitter.com/3L1hqbBRgq
— Meredith Whittaker (@mer__edith) June 17, 2024
Fighting child abuse or violating privacy rights?
While the European Union’s move is seen as an important step in the fight against child abuse, it also raises concerns about digital privacy and security. Not only do privacy advocates oppose the draft law, but numerous organizations, members of parliament, and young people also oppose it. Prominent organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy & Technology, and Mozilla have issued a joint statement expressing their concerns about such proposals to scan user content.
German MEP Patrick Breyer believes that supporters of chat control are trying to take advantage of a period of low public interest, and the new European Parliament has yet to be formed. Breyer says that many MEPs understand that fundamental rights prohibit mass surveillance. Still, they do not want to oppose a plan framed as combating CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material). However, Breyer emphasizes that children and victims of abuse deserve measures that are truly effective and will stand up in court rather than empty promises.
A European Digital Rights (EDRi) survey shows that 66% of EU young people oppose policies allowing internet providers to scan their messages.
It remains to be seen how this bill will take shape and affect the tech world. How to strike a balance between combating child abuse and digital privacy is an important question that concerns all segments of society.
Featured image credit: Christian Lue / Unsplash
