The president of the messaging app Signal has strongly criticized a revised proposal from the European Union (EU) that aims to monitor encrypted chats under a new name. The EU Commission initially introduced the Chat Control law in mid-2022, with the intention of implementing regulations that would effectively force messaging apps to create a backdoor for end-to-end encrypted messages. Although the EU Parliament committee voted against mass screening encrypted telecommunications in November of last year, a revised version of the law is now proposing an alternative method of mass scanning called “upload moderation” to combat online child sexual abuse material.
In a statement released on June 17, Signal president Meredith Whittaker argued that the term “upload moderation” is simply another tactic to undermine encryption, making it easier for hackers and hostile nation states to exploit private chats. Whittaker emphasized that end-to-end encryption is a crucial technology for privacy in an era of unprecedented state and corporate surveillance, and it must be safeguarded at all costs.
The revised Chat Control law proposal would require telecommunication service operators to implement a method of “upload moderation” to combat child exploitation material. This could involve subjecting everyone’s private chats to mass scanning against a state-curated database or using an artificial intelligence model to detect unacceptable speech and content. However, Whittaker dismissed these efforts as nothing more than “embarrassing branding exercises” and urged legislators to stop playing word games.
According to Whittaker, it is irrelevant whether the breach occurs through tampering, forcing chats to go through a surveillance system before encryption, or any other means. The president of Signal stressed the importance of protecting end-to-end encryption and called on lawmakers to recognize the expertise of encryption professionals.
Signal, which uses elliptic curve cryptography as a public key cryptosystem to support its end-to-end encrypted messaging, audio, and video services, has expressed concerns about the Online Safety Bill in the United Kingdom. This legislation could potentially provide authorities with a backdoor to end-to-end encryption services, prompting Signal to consider leaving the UK market. In addition, Signal has embraced cryptocurrencies, accepting donations in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and ten other coins since March 2021 to support the Signal Technology Foundation.