Germany remains resolute against unjustified surveillance of encrypted personal chats in Europe, according to Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP). During a gathering with EU colleagues in Brussels, Buschmann asserted that digital liberties should not be considered inferior to traditional rights. He voiced German sentiments against state surveillance of private communications without cause, emphasizing, "Digital civil rights deserve equal respect."
The EU Commission was planning to legislate against depictions of child abuse online, with Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson initially advocating for internet platforms to spy on private chats as a measure. However, the strategy faced resistance from Germany and other entities, leading to the proposal's failure.
The EU Commission is now open to allowing voluntary chat control to persist, allowing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to screen private messages or posts for offensive content for another two years starting August 2023.
Germany underscores the importance of safeguarding digital civil rights in Europe. Regardless of the EU Commission's suggestion for voluntary monitoring, Germany stays determined in its opposition to obligatory scrutiny of private chats. This stance has garnered support from various EU entities.
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Germany's opposition to state-mandated monitoring of encrypted private chats is not absolute. While the country strongly objects to indiscriminate scanning of all communications, particularly end-to-end encrypted ones, it does propose certain clarifications and modifications. These include limiting searches to "known content" or excluding end-to-end encryption, which, despite the modifications, still might lead to blanket searches and potential leaks of private communication.
As of now, the EU has extended voluntary chat control or Chat Control 1.0 for another two years due to the lack of a unified stance on mandatory chat control, or Chat Control 2.0. Meanwhile, negotiations for mandatory chat control continue in the European Commission, with the Commission advocating for its implementation despite significant opposition from various EU entities and citizens.
