Open letter: The dangers of the May 2024 Council of the EU compromise proposal on EU CSAM

EDRi has signed the Global Encryption Coalition open letter in response to news of the Belgian Presidency’s latest compromise proposal, dated May 2024, on the Regulation on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).

We call on Ministers in the Council of the EU to reject all scanning proposals that are inconsistent with the principle of end-to-end encryption, including client-side scanning and upload moderation, and to guarantee the protection of digital rights throughout the proposal. These intrusive techniques would only jeopardize the security and the rights of internet users.

The Belgian Presidency continues to advocate for the use of scanning technologies for encrypted messaging services, as well other disproportionate limitations on digital rights. Content detection has been a contentious issue for a number of EU member states who have until now opposed client-side scanning technologies, because they rightly understand that it creates serious security and privacy risks, permitting general monitoring, and undermining human rights.

Child sexual abuse and its distribution online is a serious crime that can only be effectively addressed if EU member states take a measured approach that is informed by expert evidence. We are concerned by developments in the Council of the EU where the Belgian Presidency continues to advocate using scanning technologies for encrypted messaging services, without addressing the security and rights concerns raised by experts.