WhatsApp and Signal escape EU chat control bill Temporarily

The Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union has abandoned its plan to scan messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal. The proposal, known as Chat Control 2, aimed to use artificial intelligence (AI) to scan user messages, including images, videos, and URLs, in order to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM). However, a lack of support led to the cancellation of a vote on the controversial legislation on June 20. Matthew Nimerg, co-founder of Aleph Zero, a blockchain platform, criticized the poorly conceived legislation, stating that it would infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens and be more invasive for ordinary users than criminals. The legislation has undergone several iterations since it was first introduced by the EU in 2023, with the initial proposal granting lawmakers access to text messages and audio. The scope was later scaled back to focus on scanning images, videos, and URLs using an AI algorithm, with user consent required for the scans. Critics argue that such legislation could potentially lead to further encroachment on privacy rights and restrictions on technologies that use cryptography. While the legislation has not been approved by the European Parliament, it remains uncertain whether regulators share the same viewpoint. The Chat Control 2 law may still be reintroduced in another form. The situation in the UK, where the Online Safety Bill eroded privacy rights, serves as a warning of potential government overreach and interference. WhatsApp and Signal threatened to leave the country in response to the bill, but the crisis was resolved when regulators clarified that content scanning would only occur when technically feasible. Mark Johnson of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch hopes that the UK will reconsider its own privacy-eroding legislation, while MEP Patrick Breyer emphasizes that only the judiciary should have the authority to order searches on messaging apps to avoid disproportionate mass surveillance.