WhatsApp Opposes EU's Chat Control Measures, Threatening Privacy
WhatsApp Web, a messaging service used by around 75% of Germans, has voiced its opposition to the EU's proposed chat control measures. The company argues that the new rules, aimed at combating child abuse images, threaten privacy and digital security. The German government has yet to publicly comment on the issue, while the EU continues to debate the proposal.
The EU Council presidency's latest proposal, if agreed upon, could see ministers vote as early as next week. The dispute centres around a planned regulation to tackle the spread of child abuse images. WhatsApp Web, which encrypts messages and photos before they are sent, opposes the rules that would allow scanning of private communications for criminal content.
Signal, another encrypted messaging service, has also spoken out against the proposal. Its CEO, Meredith Whittaker, has threatened to leave the European market if the regulation makes private, encrypted communication impossible. The EU has been discussing these rules for three years, with multiple Council presidencies failing to reach a compromise.
The new proposal by the Danish Council presidency will be discussed at the ambassadorial level this week. WhatsApp's opposition highlights the ongoing debate between privacy and security in digital communications. As the EU continues to grapple with this issue, the German government remains silent on the matter.
