On May 11, 2022, the European Commission—led by Commissioner Ylva Johansson—unveiled a legislative proposal that has since shaken the debate on privacy and digital rights across Europe. Known as “Chat Control,” the plan aims to combat child sexual abuse online. While its stated purpose is laudable, the methods chosen make it one of the most controversial—and dangerous—projects the EU has ever considered.
What Exactly Is the Project?
The proposal would oblige communication platforms—messaging apps, emails, cloud services, and beyond—to detect, report, and delete all child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including new and previously unknown content (Forbes, Wikipedia, WIRED).
To make this possible, the plan introduces the concept of “client-side scanning.” This means that messages are analyzed before encryption, even on services that promise end-to-end security (Tuta, European Crypto Initiative, hide.me VPN). In other words, no matter how secure a platform claims to be, surveillance would be built directly into your device.
Main Criticisms
Violation of Fundamental Rights
The project gravely undermines the right to privacy and the confidentiality of communications, guaranteed by Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (Wikipedia, Le Monde). Treating every citizen’s private conversation as potentially criminal is incompatible with democratic values.
Weakening Digital Security
By mandating systematic access to private communications, the EU would create massive backdoors that could be exploited not just by authorities, but also by cybercriminals, hostile states, or malicious actors (euronews, European Crypto Initiative, TechRadar).
Technical and Legal Flaws
Automatic detection technologies are far from reliable. They are prone to false positives, which risks criminalizing innocent users and overloading legal systems (Wikipedia).
Likely Illegality Under EU Law
Several legal analyses, including opinions from the European Parliament, argue that the proposal is disproportionate and incompatible with fundamental freedoms (TechRadar, Wikipedia).
Questionable Promotion Methods
The EU has financed advertising campaigns to push the proposal in certain Member States, which critics describe as manipulative and politically inappropriate (WIRED).
Where Does the Legislative Process Stand?
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Since May 2022, the proposal has struggled to gather enough support in the Council.
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In June 2024, the decisive vote was postponed indefinitely due to lack of consensus (Le Monde).
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Under the Danish presidency (July 2025 onward), the project was revived and put back on the agenda (Hacker News, Wikipedia, Le Monde).
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The Council is expected to adopt its position on September 12, 2025, ahead of a final vote scheduled for October 14, 2025 (European Crypto Initiative).
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Member States remain divided: 15 in favor, 9 undecided, and 3 firmly opposed (Austria, the Netherlands, and Poland) (TechRadar).
Public Debate and Citizen Mobilization
Public opposition is growing. On August 6, 2025, the initiative Fight Chat Control was launched to raise awareness and encourage citizens to contact their Members of the European Parliament (TechRadar).
Prominent figures, such as the streamer Aria, have publicly denounced the proposal, warning that it risks establishing mass surveillance under the guise of protecting children (The Times of India).
My Professional View
Even with the noble intention of fighting online child abuse, the project raises severe concerns:
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It establishes generalized proactive censorship of private communications.
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It weakens cybersecurity for all EU citizens.
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It does not fully respect the fundamental rights enshrined in European law.
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Its promotional tactics have undermined the political legitimacy of the process.
What is framed as a tool for protection could easily become a tool for surveillance. Instead of blanket scanning and encryption backdoors, the EU should pursue targeted, legally bounded, and proportionate approaches that preserve trust in digital communications and uphold the very rights that Europe claims to defend.
Conclusion
“Chat Control” is more than just another legislative proposal—it is a turning point in Europe’s approach to privacy. If adopted, it risks opening the door to state overreach, censorship, and surveillance at an unprecedented scale.
The fight against child abuse online is essential, but destroying digital freedom is not the solution. Europe must reject this misguided project before it’s too late.