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📌 The European Union's proposed "Chat Control" legislation is generating significant debate within the cybersecurity and digital rights communities. While aiming to combat child abuse material, the plan, which mandates technology companies to scan encrypted messages before transmission, faces strong opposition due to its potential to undermine end-to-end encryption. Security experts and cryptographers argue that such measures are technically unfeasible and could create critical vulnerabilities, exposing European citizens to hacking and state-sponsored surveillance. Concerns about false positives and mass surveillance are central to the objections raised by several member states and leading tech firms. This initiative highlights a growing tension between security objectives and fundamental privacy rights, prompting a reevaluation of how technological solutions can be implemented without compromising the foundational principles of a secure and open internet. The implications for digital trust and the future of encrypted communications in the EU are substantial, potentially shaping policy worldwide. #EUChatControl, #Encryption, #PrivacyRights, #DigitalSecurity

Swiss government may disable privacy tech, stoking fears of mass surveillance - The Swiss government could soon require service providers with more than 5,000 users to collect government-issued identification, retain subscriber data for six months and, in many cases, disable encryption. The proposal, which is not subject to parliamentary approval, has alarmed privacy and digital-freedoms advocates worldwide because of how it will destroy anonymity online, including for people located outside of Switzerland. A large number of virtual private network (VPN) companies and other privacy-preserving firms are headquartered in the country because it has historically had liberal digital privacy laws alongside its famously discreet banking ecosystem. Proton, which offers secure and end-to-end encrypted email along with an ultra-private VPN and cloud storage, announced on July 23 that it is moving most of its physical infrastructure out of Switzerland due to the proposed law. The company is investing more than €100 million in the European Union, the announcement said, and plans to help develop a “sovereign EuroStack for the future of our home continent.” Switzerland is not a member of the EU. Proton said the decision was prompted by the Swiss government’s attempt to “introduce mass surveillance.” Proton founder and CEO Andy Yen told Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) that the suggested regulation would be illegal in the EU and United States. "The only country in Europe with a roughly equivalent law is Russia," Yen said. Internet users would no longer be able to register for a service with just an email address or anonymously and would instead have to provide their passport, drivers license or another official ID to subscribe, said Chloé Berthélémy, senior policy adviser at European Digital Rights (eDRI), an association of civil and human rights organizations from across Europe. The regulation also includes a mass data retention obligation requiring that service providers keep users’ email addresses, phone numbers and names along with IP addresses and device port numbers for six months, Berthélémy said. Port numbers are unique identifiers that send data to a specific application or service on a computer. All authorities would need to do to obtain the data, Berthélémy said, is make a simple request that would circumvent existing legal control mechanisms such as court orders. “The right to anonymity is supporting a very wide range of communities and individuals who are seeking safety online,” Berthélémy said. “In a world where we have increasing attacks from governments on specific minority groups, on human rights defenders, journalists, any kind of watchdogs and anyone who holds those in power accountable, it's very crucial that we … preserve our privacy online in order to do those very crucial missions.” Source: Swiss government looks to undercut privacy tech, stoking fears of mass surveillance

TL;DR: The EU is about to vote on Chat Control, a law that could end encrypted private messaging. https://lnkd.in/gy-Y7eTa makes it easy to take action before September 12. I don’t usually post about politics, but this one hits close to home. The EU’s proposed Chat Control law would mean that every message, photo, or file we share could be scanned, no matter who we are, or what we’re doing. That’s not just bad for privacy, it’s dangerous for security, trust, and freedom of expression. FightChatControl.eu explains the risks, shows where each country stands, and even helps you contact your representatives directly. As of now, only a handful of Member States are pushing back, and the final vote is just days away. Whether you work in tech, law, or just care about your right to private communication, this is the moment to pay attention. Encryption is one of the last defenses we have for secure digital life, once it’s gone, it’s gone. Take a few minutes, check the site, and speak up while there’s still time. #Privacy #Encryption #DigitalRights #CyberSecurity #FightChatControl #StopChatControl #DataProtection #DigitalFreedom #PrivacyMatters #EUlaw

There is no such thing as a safe backdoor. If encryption is removed there is no safety or security in any messaging platform. Will encryption only be available for the select few? Ultimately the criminals they claim to be targeting will move to their own more secret channels, so all that will be exposed is the information of the general public. What a strange and terrible plan. #infosec #security #gdpr #dataprotection #encryption https://lnkd.in/epnKtfDZ

Swiss government looks to undercut privacy tech, stoking fears of mass surveillance https://lnkd.in/gweQAJf5 The Swiss government could soon require service providers with more than 5,000 users to collect government-issued identification, retain subscriber data for six months and, in many cases, disable encryption. The proposal, which is not subject to parliamentary approval, has alarmed privacy and digital-freedoms advocates worldwide because of how it will destroy anonymity online, including for people located outside of Switzerland. Internet users would no longer be able to register for a service with just an email address or anonymously and would instead have to provide their passport, drivers license or another official ID to subscribe, said Chloé Berthélémy, senior policy adviser at European Digital Rights (eDRI), an association of civil and human rights organizations from across Europe. Proton, which offers secure and end-to-end encrypted email along with an ultra-private VPN and cloud storage, announced on July 23 that it is moving most of its physical infrastructure out of Switzerland due to the proposed law. Proton said the decision was prompted by the Swiss government’s attempt to “introduce mass surveillance.”

Swiss Government Looks To Undercut Privacy Tech, Stoking Fears of Mass Surveillance: The Swiss government could soon require service providers with more than 5,000 users to collect government-issued identification, retain subscriber data for six months and, in many cases, disable encryption. From a report: The proposal, which is not subject to parliamentary approval, has alarmed privacy and digital-freedoms advocates worldwide because of how it will destroy anonymity online, including for people located outside of Switzerland. A large number of virtual private network (VPN) companies and other privacy-preserving firms are headquartered in the country because it has historically had liberal digital privacy laws alongside its famously discreet banking ecosystem. Proton, which offers secure and end-to-end encrypted email along with an ultra-private VPN and cloud storage, announced on July 23 that it is moving most of its physical infrastructure out of Switzerland due to the proposed law. The company is investing more than $117 million in the European Union, the announcement said, and plans to help develop a "sovereign EuroStack for the future of our home continent." Switzerland is not a member of the EU. Proton said the decision was prompted by the Swiss government's attempt to "introduce mass surveillance." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

CHAT CONTROL PROPOSAL ADVANCES DESPITE RISING OPPOSITION IN EUROPE — A controversial EU proposal seeks to mandate scanning of all digital messages, including encrypted ones, for child abuse content, raising alarms among privacy advocates and cybersecurity experts across member states. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gM_xxrc3

“Age verification laws threaten individual privacy by requiring individuals to submit highly sensitive personal data, such as government-issued IDs or biometric scans, to access material online,” EFF’s Rin Alajaji told WIRED - and VPNs aren’t a solution. https://lnkd.in/gdBbpV4f

INTERNET, IT & E-DISCOVERY BLOG: UK drops dangerous data encryption back door demands! https://lnkd.in/ghjhQZCm https://lnkd.in/g9YHCvfG Computerworld.com reported that “The UK has agreed to drop its mandate that Apple install a backdoor into the encrypted data stored on its devices, though it isn’t clear whether this is an overall change or simply a tweak to protect US citizens. The landmark move would be a victory for digital privacy experts that sets a precedent between the ongoing battle between tech companies and government surveillance.” The August 19, 2025 article entitled “UK agrees to drop dangerous data encryption backdoor demands, says US “https://lnkd.in/gYpdu8hv) included these comments about what “The UK wanted to access all the data”: The UK wanted to force Apple (and conceivably others) to put a backdoor into their systems that could be used to access encrypted, private data. It issued a so-called technical capability notice making the demand under the country’s Investigatory Powers Act (the so-called “Snooper’s charter”) with an order that Apple open access to people’s encrypted data. This would have also left people outside the UK threatened by the deep surveillance state. Apple refused, withdrew its Advanced Data Protection services in the UK, and has been challenging the Home Office order in a highly secretive court. No one in the UK is being told the results of these deliberations, on strength of a half-baked misunderstanding of “national security.” However, the US administration saw the decision as an attack on the rights of US citizens and has worked at the highest level to convince UK leaders to withdraw the request. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wrote on X: “Over the past few months, I’ve been working closely with our partners in the UK, alongside [President Donald J. Trump] and [Vice President J.D. Vance], to ensure American’s private data remains private and our Constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected. As a result, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a ‘back door’ that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties.” The UK had argued that any such access would be protected by the safeguards it has in place, but digital privacy advocates mocked that argument. Very interesting! What do you think? https://lnkd.in/ghjhQZCm https://lnkd.in/g9YHCvfG