Last week we highlighted a deeply concerning development in the EU’s proposed regulation to combat child sexual abuse (aka Chat Control). The Belgian Presidency of the Council had put forward a proposal which, if agreed on, would take us closer to a world of constant scanning and surveillance. Thankfully, at the last minute, the vote on Chat Control was removed from the agenda as seemingly the council was not able to agree on a position.

Since it was first proposed, the EU’s Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (aka Chat Control) has gained the attention of security experts, academics, civil society, and the private sector for all the wrong reasons. Early versions of the Commission's proposal included requirements for media scanning and effectively entail the mass surveillance of Europeans.