EU Chat Control negotiations reveal proposed mass scanning of private messages

Leaked European Union documents reveal ongoing negotiations regarding “Chat Control 2.0,” a proposal aimed at combating child sexual abuse through the automated scanning of private communications. The leaked Council documents suggest a mechanism known as “search plans,” where service providers would submit plans for automated searches to national judicial or administrative authorities for approval. Such approvals could cover large segments of a service over extended periods, potentially affecting millions of users without specific suspicion.

In response to these developments, the German government has rejected a compromise proposal that would require these national authorizations. According to an internal position paper, Germany argues that voluntary scanning by companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Google should not be subject to prior permission or similar restrictions, as this could jeopardize the current ability to detect abuse.

Germany proposes that companies should be granted general permission to detect abuse, provided they submit brief reports on their methods. Instead of national oversight, Berlin suggests that a planned EU center should hold jurisdiction, with its decisions subject to judicial review. The German Ministry of the Interior emphasizes that the process must not cause delays in uncovering child abuse material.