The Excuse: Child Protection. The Goal: Mass Surveillance of Your Chats
Europe Edges Closer to the Chinese Model with Chat Control
The excuse: child protection. The goal: mass surveillance of your chats
The European Union is preparing to pass a controversial regulation that would allow scanning of all your private chats — including encrypted ones — under the pretext of fighting child abuse. This proposal, informally known as “Chat Control,” could open the door to unprecedented surveillance in Europe.
What “Chat Control” is (CSAR / COM/2022/209)
The European Commission proposed regulation COM/2022/209, officially named the Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse (CSAR).
Its stated goal is to force digital platforms to scan private messages to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
But behind it lie real risks: the legalization of mass surveillance, the weakening of encryption, and a precedent for political control.
Recent developments and national positions
Germany and Luxembourg join the opposition
Germany has formally declared its opposition to the regulation, and Luxembourg has joined it. This matters a lot: backing the regulation requires not just a majority of countries, but also representing at least 65% of the EU’s population. Germany’s demographic weight alone could block it.
Member states: for, against, or undecided
- Against: Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Finland, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia.
- In favor: France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and others (around 14–15 countries).
- Undecided: Estonia, Greece, Romania and Slovenia.
Key dates
- September 12, 2025: Council meeting to settle national positions.
- October 14, 2025: possible final vote. If a qualified majority is reached, trilogue negotiations with Parliament will begin.
What Chat Control risks for privacy and encryption
Mandatory scanning, even on encrypted communications
The regulation calls for scanning before encryption is even applied — that is, on your own device.
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) have warned that this breaches Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
On top of that, building backdoors into encrypted systems weakens security for everyone.
Algorithms, false positives, and automated decisions
The scanning relies on artificial intelligence. An algorithm — not a judge — will decide whether a message, image or video is illegal.
False positives are a real risk: they could lead to the criminalization of innocent users or the censorship of legitimate content.
Once this infrastructure is deployed, it could be repurposed to control “hate speech,” “disinformation,” or any politically convenient category.
Dangerous dual-use technology
Recent studies show that these technologies can carry hidden functions (such as facial recognition) without the user’s knowledge.
What’s more, on-device scanning schemes are technically vulnerable: they can be bypassed by attackers or cause serious side effects for digital security.
Spain, France, and the push toward digital control
Spain, France and Italy have voiced firm support for the regulation.
Countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Poland reject it outright.
If passed, Europe would take a radical turn toward preventive surveillance, a far cry from the founding principles of digital rights on the continent.
What Chat Control means for you
- Your messages will no longer be truly private.
- End-to-end encryption will become useless.
- Your phone will turn into a spy working for the state.
- An algorithm’s mistake could land you in serious trouble.
- It legalizes a precedent for controlling other forms of communication.
This regulation radically changes the relationship between citizen and state in the digital realm: we would all be treated as potential suspects.
Europe facing its Chinese mirror
For years, Europe has criticized China’s model of surveillance, censorship and information control.
But with Chat Control, the EU is dangerously edging toward that same model.
Accepting this regulation means accepting that privacy is no longer a right, but a privilege that can be revoked.
From alarm to action: control is no longer futuristic
Chat Control isn’t a dystopia or a conspiracy-theory exaggeration.
It’s a concrete proposal, with institutional backing, set dates, and real consequences.
And the most worrying part: it’s happening with almost no public debate or media coverage.
The next time you send an emoji, it might not just be your friend who sees it. Europe might see it too.
What can you do?
Stay alert about October 14.
Share this article.
Tell the people around you.
Contact your MEP.
Support digital-rights organizations.