Under the argument of preventing and combating online child sexual abuse, the European Union (EU) is preparing to adopt the so-called Chat Control (or Chat Control 2.0), which foresees that messaging and email platforms, for example, make a scan to all user communications. The proposal has been under discussion since May 2022 and will be voted on this year.
The proposal envisages the creation of an analysis algorithm, developed by the companies responsible for the applications themselves. This system would inspect all shared content, from messages to photos and videos, with no exception for encrypted material. The information would be transformed into codes on the user's device and then compared with codes from a centralized server (CSS Analysis) to assess whether it complies with current legislation.
If the system, using artificial intelligence and pattern recognition, classifies certain content as illegal, such as child sexual abuse material or suspected terrorist activity, a report would automatically be generated and sent to a new European body. This would then forward the information to the competent judicial authorities for investigation. The entire process would occur fully automated, without any prior human intervention.
For privacy advocates, the broader implications of Chat Control are concerning. After all, mandatory scan of messages, even encrypted ones, threatens the protection of users' privacy.
Furthermore, some fear that the passage of this bill in October of this year will set a dangerous precedent. The proposal raises concerns about privacy and freedom of expression, as it treats all citizens as suspects, weakens the presumption of innocence, and paves the way for mass surveillance practices similar to those of regimes criticized in the past.
