Until now, private messages have been considered a kind of digital equivalent of a sealed letter. However, the new draft European legislation significantly changes this idea. Chat Control raises the question of whether the protection of children on the Internet does not intrude too deeply into the privacy of all users.
The European Union is again trying to tighten the rules for . The proposal, known as Chat Control, aims to more effectively combat the spread of child sexual abuse material. But the way it wants to do this is raising concerns across member states and among experts. Critics warn that even the proposed milder version could mean a huge intrusion into the privacy of ordinary people who have nothing to do with criminal activity.
The proposal of the European Commission is met with supporters as well as opponents. Watch the video to see what the adoption of this controversial chat monitoring tool would mean for ordinary users:
Voluntariness that inspires distrust
The current form of the proposal does not establish mandatory general monitoring of all messages, but introduces a system of so-called mandatory voluntariness. Operators of online services must assess the risks themselves and propose measures that will lead to their reduction. In practice, this can also mean automatic scanning of the contents of messages, even before they are sent.
And this is where many states see a problem. Even if this is not a direct order to monitor private chats, the pressure on companies can lead to preventive monitoring of communicationsto avoid sanctions and much stricter supervision. According to Czech representatives, this is an unacceptable interference with fundamental rights.
“The debate is not only about technology, but mainly about trust,” says Javanshir Hashimzada, an IT student at Charles University. “Once people feel that their messages are not truly private, it changes the way they communicate with each other.”
Anonymity and the risk of mistakes
Another criticized area is the possible end of anonymity on the Internet. The proposal also envisages the introduction of age verification of users, which may lead to the linking of accounts with personal documents. This naturally carries with it the risk of leakage of sensitive data and subsequent misuse of sensitive information.
There are also concerns about the error rate of automatic systems. Algorithms can mark even innocent photos or messages shared without malicious intent as problematic content. Users could thus get into trouble just because of a machine errorwhich would mean blocking the account or reporting it to the authorities.
According to Hashimzada, it is important to maintain a reasonable balance. “The protection of children is unquestionable, but it should not lead to blanket suspicion of everyone. The rules must be understandable and proportionate, otherwise they will lose public support.”
The final negotiations on the form of Chat Control are not over yet. The European Parliament has the option to modify or reject the proposal. A decision that will be made, but will affect everyone who uses the Internet today for daily communication. The question in this case is no longer just how to protect children in the online space, but also how to preserve the fundamental right to privacy in the digital world.
