EU debates tougher permanent Chat Control rules amid privacy concerns

EU lawmakers, the Council and the Commission are meeting to craft a permanent version of the Chat Control regulation, building on the temporary rules that allow companies to scan private chats for illegal content. The draft would extend obligations to encrypted communications, effectively challenging the security of end-to-end encryption in popular messaging apps. Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard has argued that encrypted messaging is not a human right, while former European Commissioner Věra Jourová acknowledged that the Commission’s original plan envisaged breaking encryption.

The Czech government, led by Andrej Babiš, has shown mixed signals, with some members backing the temporary exemption and others opposing a lasting mandate. Critics warn that the measures could generate large numbers of false accusations and undermine online privacy, while supporters claim they are necessary to combat child sexual abuse material.