A vote scheduled today to amend a draft law that may require WhatsApp and Signal to scan people’s pictures and links for potential child sexual abuse material was removed from European Union countries’ agenda, according to three EU diplomats.
Ambassadors in the EU Council were scheduled to decide whether to back a joint position on an EU regulation to fight child sexual abuse material (CSAM). But many EU countries including Germany, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic were expected to abstain or oppose the law over cybersecurity and privacy concerns.
“In the last hours, it appeared that the required qualified majority would just not be met,” said an EU diplomat from the Belgian presidency, which is spearheading negotiations until end June as chair of the EU Council.
Spain, Ireland and Belgium advocated for stripping privacy rights of individuals while Germany, The Netherlands, Czechia, Austria and Poland argued against it.
Finally sanity prevailed. The fascists want us to forfeit any and all civil liberties eventually. And they’re gonna use the tagline “save the children” as an excuse to do it. Germany has learned very well from its fascist past. There’s no tougher enemy to fight than an extremely self righteous, holier than thou one.
Cops scan a person’s pictures, find no CSAM, but do find evidence of ______, and they’re just going to pretend they didn’t see it? We’re absolutely certain that they will only react to evidence of criminal activity, and nothing else? Cops are angelic like that?
We’re also certain that every single action they will take based on what they find, will be flawless? They will never mistake innocent behaviors, for criminal ones? I’m not so convinced.