Proposed EU ‘Chat Control’ laws spark fears of mass digital surveillance

World eusocial mediatechnology Proposed EU ‘Chat Control’ laws spark fears of mass digital surveillance File Photo: Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Youtube And Instagram Apps Are Seen On A Smartphone In This Illustration Taken, July 13, 2021. Reuters/dado Ruvic/illustration/ Relevant News Proposed EU ‘Chat Control’ laws spark fears of mass digital surveillance 21 July 2026 Empty talk, bluster, and no way out… 21 July 2026 The unforgettable scent of the night 21 July 2026 Theodosis Pipis 21 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber The European Parliament has extended temporary rules allowing online platforms to voluntarily scan private communications for child sexual abuse material until 2028, after opponents failed to secure the absolute majority needed to defeat the measure. The vote on 9 July reactivates a regulatory derogation that permits tech companies to monitor messages, photos, and emails for illegal content without violating broader EU privacy laws. While end-to-end encrypted services such as WhatsApp and Signal remain exempt, digital rights, privacy organisations and MEPs are up in arms, arguing that the rules are draconian and amount to mass surveillance. They refer to them as “Chat Control.” The temporary framework buys time for EU institutions to negotiate a permanent law, a process stalled for months due to political infighting over civil liberties. Proponents argue the extension is critical to prevent a legal vacuum that would hinder law enforcement. “This should not be the only tool we have at hand for protecting children, but it is one of the most important tools we have at hand,” said MEP Lena Düpont of the European People’s Party, who pushed for the urgent vote. “We should never let ourselves be divided over the question of how to best protect our children.” However, in a recent conversation with Euronews, Simeon de Brouwer from the European Digital Rights (EDRi) association argued that “it’s a big breach of our digital rights and goes against basic EU values.” He said: “It’s a blank cheque to companies, mostly American ones, to look through all our emails and every photo and video we send to each other and then report it to an American centre that then reports it to EU law enforcement”. Other political groups of the European Parliament such as GUE/NGL, have been advocating for strict, targeted CSAM detection measures, however they too raise concerns about abusing privacy protections. Talks on the final shape of the law have long been stalled amid political infighting, but negotiations are now on track to resume after the summer. Read more: A fast-spreading infection… Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Empty talk, bluster, and no way out… The unforgettable scent of the night Defence disputes drug quantities in Zavrantonas cocaine trial Cut hours or stop work, employers told as heat spikes Cyprus Airways links up with Air France for Paris flights In Gaza, a mother’s hunt for water lays bare a worsening health crisis Greek author Alexis Stamatis dies aged 66 Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.