Looming European parliament Vote could grant Access to Private Messages
The European Parliament is poised to vote, potentially as early as September 12th, on a controversial proposal that would require technology companies to scan user communications for illegal content. Officially titled “Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (COM/2022/209 final),” the regulation aims to identify and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. (Links to the proposal can be found on EUR-Lex: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52022PC0209 and in Latvian: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/LV/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52022PC0209).
The core of the proposal mandates that platforms, including encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp, Signal, and iMessage, implement “client-side scanning.” This technology would analyze images and messages on the user’s device before they are encrypted and sent,effectively giving platforms access to private communications.
While proponents emphasize the goal of protecting children, critics raise notable concerns about the potential for overreach and unintended consequences. These concerns include:
Broad Censorship: The system could lead to the flagging and removal of legitimate content, subjecting all users to a form of “digital censorship.”
False Positives: Artificial intelligence (AI) used for scanning may misinterpret harmless content – such as jokes or satire – leading to unwarranted reports, account blocks, or even triggering criminal investigations.
* Scope Creep: The infrastructure created for scanning could be expanded beyond CSAM detection to encompass other categories like “hate speech,” “misinformation,” or “political ideas,” potentially enabling widespread digital censorship.
Concerns have also been raised regarding parallels to past instances of content moderation on large platforms like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Instagram, including instances of account restrictions based on viewpoints and limitations on politically sensitive discussions. The potential introduction of a digital currency is also cited as a factor that could further concentrate control over citizens’ financial transactions.
Opponents argue that focused, targeted measures to protect children are preferable to a sweeping surveillance system that compromises user privacy and could have long-term, unforeseen consequences.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available facts regarding the proposed EU regulation.
