EU to legislate about Chat Control behind closed doors
EU to Legislate "Chat Control" via Secretive Backroom Deals
Digital civil rights are under siege. Former Member of the European Parliament and activist Dr. Patrick Breyer has issued a stark warning regarding a "double-attack" on the privacy of secure messaging. This surge in surveillance efforts comes just before pivotal EU meetings scheduled for this coming Friday and Monday.
The Crisis: A "Double Threat" to Privacy
According to Breyer, an "outrageous" coordinated effort by EU governments and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola (EPP) aims to dismantle anonymous communication and implement mass surveillance across the Union.
"What we are witnessing this week is a blatant disregard for democratic processes and fundamental rights. EP President Metsola is attempting an unprecedented power play to resurrect the expired ‘Chat Control 1.0’ mass scanning regime, directly overriding her own Parliament’s clear rejection from March." — Dr. Patrick Breyer
To combat this, the campaign platform fightchatcontrol.eu has been updated and relaunched, providing a direct line for citizens to pressure their representatives.
Timeline of the Imminent Threat
Detailed Breakdown of the Threats
The current situation is characterized by two simultaneous tracks of legislation designed to undermine digital confidentiality.
1. The Resurrection of Chat Control 1.0
President Metsola is attempting to revive the expired Chat Control 1.0. This is particularly controversial because the European Parliament had already explicitly rejected the proposal in March, urging the Commission to withdraw it entirely. Leaked information suggests the Council is meeting this Friday to bypass this democratic rejection.
2. The CSAR Trilogue (Chat Control 2.0)
On Monday, June 29, final negotiations for the permanent regulation 2022/0155 (CSAR) will occur. Breyer warns that the EP leadership is meddling to ensure "fatal concessions" are made.
Potential Worst-Case Outcomes for Monday:
| Feature | Proposed "Concession" | Actual Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning | "Voluntary" mass scanning | Becomes a mandatory "risk mitigation" requirement. |
| Warrants | Mandatory detection orders | Scanning without targeted suspects or prior court orders. |
| Anonymity | Mandatory age verification | The effective end of anonymous communication in the EU. |
The Path Forward: Action and Alternatives
The relaunch of fightchatcontrol.eu allows users to send pre-formatted emails to lawmakers. These emails highlight the technical and legal failures of the proposals, citing the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and rulings from the EU Court of Justice.
Breyer's Vision for Child Protection
Breyer argues that protecting children does not require the surveillance of European citizens. Instead, he proposes a shift toward:
- Targeted, evidence-based investigations (rather than dragnet scanning).
- Security-by-design principles.
- Proactive removal of illegal material from the darknet.
🛠️ Citizen Action Checklist
- Visit
fightchatcontrol.eu. - Identify your local EU representative.
- Send the legal/technical flaw summary email.
- Share the campaign on social media to "make noise" this weekend.
Sample Communication Logic
The campaign's outreach follows a logic similar to this pseudo-code:
def send_protest_email(representative, user_concerns):
template = "I demand adherence to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights."
details = f"The current proposal {representative.regulation_id} is flawed because: {user_concerns}"
email_body = template + "\n" + details
return send_to_eu_lawmaker(representative.email, email_body)
# Action: Execute for all Member State representatives
Final Warning: Breyer urges all NGOs, tech innovators, and citizens to act immediately to prevent "highly error-prone algorithms" from criminalizing innocent private data, such as family photos, in the name of security.