CHATCONTROL
Spain wants EU-wide ban on end-to-end encryption
A leaked document shows the different positions of EU countries. Poland wants to ensure parents always have access to their children's encrypted communications
May 23, 2023, 13:02
From a network policy perspective, it is currently probably one of the most controversial topics - not only - in the EU: end-to-end encryption of widely used messengers such as Whatsapp or Signal. This would make life considerably more difficult for law enforcement agencies, according to the arguments of those who advocate a kind of "chat control. They envision a backdoor for the authorities that would allow them - usually directly on the user's smartphone - to gain insight into the discussions of a target person or at least to automatically compare them with databases of some kind.
However, such ideas set off alarm bells among data protectionists. In their eyes, this would inevitably lead to a comprehensive surveillance system, even if the proponents of such a solution like to assure that it is intended exclusively to combat the dissemination of depictions of sexualized violence against children.
A leak
A leak now reveals how different the positions of the individual EU states are on this topic: "Wired" has obtained an internal document from the EU's law enforcement working group, in which the positions of the individual states on the topic are collected. Spain and Poland in particular present themselves as hardliners.
The strongest position comes from Madrid: The Spanish government wants a complete ban on end-to-end encryption. Specifically, it would be "desirable if EU service providers were legally prohibited from offering end-to-end encryption.
Poland also wants surveillance
By comparison, Poland is almost liberal. There, at least, the desire is expressed that a weakening of end-to-end encryption should be avoided. At the same time, however, they want someone to be able to take a look if the worst comes to the worst. But Poland has another scenario in mind: It should always be possible for parents to read their children's encrypted communications.
Poland would also generally like any form of encryption to be revoked after a court order. Of course, this would then be tantamount to a general backdoor for encryption, which would also have to be imposed on all service providers.
Opposition
But there are also many countries that more or less clearly oppose ideas for chat control. This is made particularly clear by the Netherlands, which makes it clear in its statement that a decryption option is "neither desirable nor necessary."
Several other countries, such as Germany and Finland, also raise concerns. Germany, for example, emphasizes that current drafts on the subject would not be compatible with the German legal situation.
Austria missing
Incidentally, the document does not contain a statement from Austria. Recently, however, the government has at least publicly positioned itself against such plans. Only a few days ago, Justice Minister Alma Zadić, together with her colleagues from Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland, publicly criticized the current EU plans. (apo, 5/23/2023)
May 23, 2023, 13:02
From a network policy perspective, it is currently probably one of the most controversial topics - not only - in the EU: end-to-end encryption of widely used messengers such as Whatsapp or Signal. This would make life considerably more difficult for law enforcement agencies, according to the arguments of those who advocate a kind of "chat control. They envision a backdoor for the authorities that would allow them - usually directly on the user's smartphone - to gain insight into the discussions of a target person or at least to automatically compare them with databases of some kind.
However, such ideas set off alarm bells among data protectionists. In their eyes, this would inevitably lead to a comprehensive surveillance system, even if the proponents of such a solution like to assure that it is intended exclusively to combat the dissemination of depictions of sexualized violence against children.
A leak
A leak now reveals how different the positions of the individual EU states are on this topic: "Wired" has obtained an internal document from the EU's law enforcement working group, in which the positions of the individual states on the topic are collected. Spain and Poland in particular present themselves as hardliners.
The strongest position comes from Madrid: The Spanish government wants a complete ban on end-to-end encryption. Specifically, it would be "desirable if EU service providers were legally prohibited from offering end-to-end encryption.
Poland also wants surveillance
By comparison, Poland is almost liberal. There, at least, the desire is expressed that a weakening of end-to-end encryption should be avoided. At the same time, however, they want someone to be able to take a look if the worst comes to the worst. But Poland has another scenario in mind: It should always be possible for parents to read their children's encrypted communications.
Poland would also generally like any form of encryption to be revoked after a court order. Of course, this would then be tantamount to a general backdoor for encryption, which would also have to be imposed on all service providers.
Opposition
But there are also many countries that more or less clearly oppose ideas for chat control. This is made particularly clear by the Netherlands, which makes it clear in its statement that a decryption option is "neither desirable nor necessary."
Several other countries, such as Germany and Finland, also raise concerns. Germany, for example, emphasizes that current drafts on the subject would not be compatible with the German legal situation.
Austria missing
Incidentally, the document does not contain a statement from Austria. Recently, however, the government has at least publicly positioned itself against such plans. Only a few days ago, Justice Minister Alma Zadić, together with her colleagues from Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland, publicly criticized the current EU plans. (apo, 5/23/2023)
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