The European Union's proposed Chat Control law, designed to combat online child sexual abuse, risks turning every European into a suspect, according to a leading digital rights expert. Simeon de Brouwer, policy adviser at the European Digital Rights organisation (EDRi), warned that the legislation as currently drafted would fundamentally undermine privacy across the continent.
Speaking in a video interview, de Brouwer stressed the need for proportionality. 'We are seeing a proposal that treats everyone as a suspect,' he said. 'That is not the kind of society we want to build in Europe.' He called for a shift toward 'targeted scanning' rather than blanket surveillance of all digital communications.
Mass Surveillance Concerns
The proposed law, formally known as the Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse, would require messaging platforms, email providers, and other digital services to scan all user content — including encrypted messages — for potential child abuse material. Critics argue this would effectively end end-to-end encryption and create a system of mass surveillance.
De Brouwer emphasised that the fight against child sexual abuse is important, but the means must be proportionate. 'We can protect children without undermining everyone's privacy,' he said. 'Targeted scanning, based on concrete suspicion, is a more effective and less intrusive approach.'
The debate comes as the EU revives the Chat Control law after months of deadlock. The European Commission has argued that the measure is necessary to close loopholes in existing legislation and to keep pace with technological developments. However, privacy advocates, civil society groups, and several member states have raised serious concerns.
Germany's federal government, for instance, has expressed reservations about the impact on encryption. The Bundestag has debated the issue extensively, with lawmakers from across the political spectrum questioning whether the proposal respects fundamental rights under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The European Parliament's civil liberties committee (LIBE) is expected to vote on the file in the coming weeks. If approved, the law would then enter trilogue negotiations between the Parliament, the Council, and the Commission. The outcome remains uncertain, as the Council — representing the 27 member states — has yet to reach a unified position.
De Brouwer's intervention adds to a growing chorus of expert voices warning that the EU's lawmaking process on digital issues is structurally flawed. As experts have noted, relying solely on technological tools without addressing underlying governance problems risks producing ineffective and rights-infringing legislation.
The stakes are high. If Chat Control passes in its current form, it could set a precedent for surveillance across the continent, affecting not only EU citizens but also users in the wider European neighbourhood — from Switzerland and Norway to the Balkans. The law would apply to any service offering its products in the EU, regardless of where the company is based.
De Brouwer urged policymakers to listen to the concerns of digital rights experts and to consider alternative approaches. 'We have the tools to fight child sexual abuse without sacrificing privacy,' he said. 'What we need is political will to design a system that is both effective and rights-respecting.'
The coming weeks will be decisive. As the European Parliament and member states grapple with the technical and legal complexities, the fundamental question remains: can Europe protect its children without turning its citizens into suspects?
