this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2023
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Memes

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Context: Chat Control 2.0: EU governments set to approve the end of private messaging and secure encryption

"By making a minor concession EU governments hope to find a majority next week to approve the controversial 'chat control' bill. According to the proposed child sexual abuse regulation (CSAR), providers of messengers, e-mail and chat services would be forced to automatically search all private messages and photos for suspicious content and report it to the EU. To find a majority for this unprecedented mass surveillance, the EU Council Presidency proposed Tuesday that the scanners would initially search for previously classified CSAM only, and even less reliable technology to classify unknown imagery or conversations would be reserved to a later stage. The proposed β€ždealβ€œ will be discussed by ambassadors tomorrow and could be adopted by ministers next week."

Source: https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/chat-control-2-0-eu-governments-set-to-approve-the-end-of-private-messaging-and-secure-encryption/

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[–] [email protected] 154 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

A law like this would violate the rights of all EU citizens. The courts would (should!) strike this law down immediately

[–] [email protected] 76 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I sure hope the courts toss that thing. It would be the single worst violation of peoples privacy since the internet became a thing. It's incredible that lobbyists and police unions have this much impact on policy creation.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Almost as if in ~bourgeoisie~ democracy other interest groups have more influence in policy making than normal voters

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

You know, you might vote in a way that harms children in the future, I think we should just nip that potentiality in the bud…

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago

Yeah, just like the "Upload Filters"

Poor Axel Voss showed everyone how much of a media company whore he is just to get his biggest lifetime achievement taken down by the EU court because those filters could result in censorship (something that literally everybody told the supporters would happen)

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The courts very likely will strike something like this down, but the people responsible know this. Court dealings can take years and during this time our privacy gets violated ~~and some kind of profit is made~~.

And even when this law is declared illegal the existing data will likely be kept, only new collection is stopped (happened in Germany)

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[–] [email protected] 142 points 1 year ago (2 children)

1: "... and then we'll be able to stop terrorist attacks. Simple".

2: β€œok but if you put a back door into encryption, won't others be able to find it?"

1: "no we'll be the only ones with the key. Great huh?β€œ

2: "and you don't think the key will be leaked or be hacked?"

1: "I said we'll be the only ones with the key."

2: "so what's your plan to make sure the key stays secure"

1: "..."

2: "what's your contingency plan if the key *is * hacked or leaked?"

1:"..."

1: "I SAID WE'LL BE THE ONLY ONES WITH THE KEY. "

2: "..."

1: "don't you want to protect our children ??"

[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I never seen it summarized so fucking well. And meanwhile, it happens CONSTANTLY, but they pretend it's impossible to happen and never has actually happened

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

With quantum computing around the corner that key is useless. So not only is my data then shared with the EU, china and US will also have a little look

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

That's very speculative though. We don't know yet the effect how large scale quantum computing will have on encryption.

Fun fact: Quantum computers already exist and you can play around with one for free*: https://www.ibm.com/quantum

*Max 10 min of system usage per month.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago

And even that's only in the optimistic situation where you can always fully trust "1", also in the future.

[–] [email protected] 112 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This seems to be a general theme. Those arguing loudest for better privacy are really saying "only we should be allowed to invade your privacy". See: Google, Apple, the EU

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's such a shame though, since as far as I know, the EU have had such an amazing track record. I'd expect no less from big tech, but not the EU.

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[–] [email protected] 106 points 1 year ago

Criminals aren't going to be using services that comply anyways. They'll have their own underground ones. This is just a violation of regular citizens rights.

[–] [email protected] 76 points 1 year ago (3 children)

This is a level of bullshit that will straight up make me vote to leave the EU.

Outlawing E2EE should just not be a thing. It just shouldn't.

[–] [email protected] 67 points 1 year ago (3 children)

As if European state governments aren't also stupid and would come up with this idea.

The EU sucks sometimes but where ever you live in the EU your gov would totally come up with this on their own...

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago

Obviously. The point is that it's the kind of thing that will make me reject the very society I'm living in, and I would change it wholly to avoid this.

If the source was my own government, for the first time in my life, I'd be considering moving to a new country.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

I will just remind yall that an state in the EU has admitted to having access to the Pegasus spyware.

Pegasus is a program that is used by services combating crime and corruption in many countries...It would be bad if the Polish services did not have this type of tool

- Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party as quoted by the Verge (first article I found)

He is also quoted as saying that claims that Pegasus had been used against political opponents are "utter nonsense".

The Polish controversy was started when the spyware was found on a opposition members phone.

The Law and Justice party, according to polls (and some Poles), is set to win the largest number of seats in tomorrows election, though they might struggle to form a government.

We are doomed aren't we.

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Well, this is being implemented in the UK separately so I wouldnt be too hasty

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Honestly, they could at least wait and see what happens in the UK before proposing something similar. They literally have a free guinea pig next door.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (3 children)

One could think you're proposing this as an alternate solution. It's not. And Brexit is the biggest proof.

That said implementing backdoors is so backwards it's creative in the worst way. You basically prepare the tools for a rogue government, rogue government employee, or a knowledgeable malicious actor to grab secure information from the silver plater. It's the dumbest shit.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No shit. Only reason I bring it up is as a way to illustrate how badly I do not want this.

What a world we live in, when there's a possibility my use of a private matrix server between family, might become criminal.

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[–] [email protected] 73 points 1 year ago (7 children)

iT's fOr yOuR kiDs sAfEtY!!1!1!1! As much as I like being in EU, I hate this and hope it doesn't pass.

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[–] [email protected] 69 points 1 year ago (2 children)

With a little knowledge, it's not very hard to make your own messaging app and share it with those you know. And there's plenty projects online that give you what you need without having to write the code yourself. Alternatively, there's just plenty dark web and under the radar apps already that won't bend to this ruling.

What it is, though, is very inconvenient and annoying to do so.

But if you're an actual criminal, then there is this solution here that can never be subject to this ruling.

So what this clearly means is that the EU will violate the privacy of all the everyday people that don't handle that inconvenience, pushing the serious criminals to dark channels.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 year ago

This law has nothing to do with CSAM or child abuse prevention. "Think of the Children" is just an effective rallying point because, of course, no one wants to come out against it publicly. The Surveillance State grows.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

But if you're an actual criminal, then there is this solution here that can never be subject to this ruling.

To be fair, AFAIK criminals often use insecure means of communication already so my guess is that this will result in more criminals not putting in the effort to set up/use an encrypted communication network.

However this is 1. probably not something any person who made that law knew 2. a bullshit excuse anyway.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Well they can go fuck themselves. Even if they pass it and messenger or whatsapp start (as in they totally dont already) scanning your chats and snitching I wonder how they are going to force other messaging services to comply.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They can't. It's unenforceable.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'd imagine if, say Signal, refuses to comply and gets banned from the EU, one could always use a VPN. I think that nothing short of either a full global ban or implementing a version of The Great Wall of China would allow these ridiculous laws to be enforced. Even then, there will always be ways around it for those willing to go the extra mile.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 year ago

Here's what this bill does for children: reduces pedos from sharing images of them yay! Here's also what it does for Children: un-encrypts their chats so pedos know what they are doing, where they are, who they are with, what they like, their vulnerabilities and much much more. Trading safety for a viewing crackdown. Congratulations

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Friendly reminder it's never about consumer rights. It's about who is in control of the data.

A question you can all ask yourself. Despite the warts in both who would you rather control your data (you have no choice here. Someone is controlling your data and it is not you)

A. Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.

B. Government

You'll get strong answers either way. Personally I'd rather the government strictly from an accountability perspective but that also warrants governments not electing shitheads which unfortunately the world is leaning towards with these populist right wing politicians gaining favour.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago

It can be you. It doesn't have to be Big Corps or Government. It can be federated instances, it can be self-ownership of data, it can be E2E encrypted.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

A, by a goddamn long shot. If google mistakenly thinks I've advocated for a crime against a massive corporation, they'll remove my account and ban me from their services. If the government mistakenly thinks I've advocated for a crime against a massive corporation, they'll arrest me and ruin my life. Microsoft doesn't give a shit if you acquired the 1s and 0s that comprise a popular TV show without paying for them. The government will fine you more than the average person will make in their entire life.

It also depends on where you live. Facebook doesn't care if you're gay or trans, if anything that's valuable monetizable data about you. Iran will straight up fucking kill you.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago

Tbf in this scenario, google reports you to the police. You get arrested in either scenario.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

This one is completely about the people who pretend to "care about the children" but coincidentally also sell the software that does the proposed CSAM scanning. It's a money making-scheme for them. Shit like this makes me lose the last bit of hope I have for democracy (really hard to not put this into quotes by this point ... +__+).

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

The privacy tech is so robust and easily available right now that anyone could spend a few days and replace their everything with privacy focused alternative while still maintaining a solid experience.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

We need to collect the list of names of every politican and such who has advocated for this. These humans are dangerous to society, and we need to be on the lookout regarding what are they doing next. We also need to raise awareness about them so that given the chance, they can be removed from positions of power.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Somebody must have already... anyone did any googling?

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago

i live in the EU, it makes me angry

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago

In their defence they don’t actually care about your privacy they just want to hold onto power. The cookie thing is getting ahead before everything starts to shit itself from a private companies destroying privacy perspective. This stuff is for governments to look good and they are notorious for thinking they won’t fuck this up even though they always do.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

What the actual fuck...

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

Learning from the "friends" on the other site of the atlantic!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

fedposting this seems like a sus link HAHAHA! WE GOT THEM NOW! CLICK

Never going to give you up troll

GOD DAMMIT GARY this is the 12th time today!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Fairly fucking sure this is a nothingburger like Art. 13-17 was, and will not break E2EE messengers.

The reason:

Encryption plays an essential role in securing communications. The international human rights law test of legality, necessity and proportionality should be applied to any measures that would affect encryption. Both the UN Commissioner for Human Rights[1]and the European Data Protection Supervisor[2]have concluded that the EU’s proposal for a regulation on child sexual abuse material fails this test[3].

A recent article published by Wired[4]described a European Council survey of Member States’ views on regulating encryption. In its response to the survey, Spain stated that there should be legislation prohibiting EU-based service providers from implementing end-to-end encryption.

Requiring platforms and device manufacturers to build back doors to facilitate law enforcement access would make everyone more susceptible to malicious hacking from criminals and foreign adversaries alike[5]. Measures allowing public authorities to access the content of communications affect the essence of the right to privacy.

1.Which encryption experts did the Commission consult when preparing its proposal for a regulation on child sexual abuse material?

2.Will the Commission revise its position on encryption in view of the opinions of human rights associations and experts?

3.Given the abuse of Pegasus, how will the Commission ensure that the fundamental right to privacy is protected if a Member State, such as Spain, decides to ban encryption?

Submitted: 24.5.2023

[1] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, β€˜The right to privacy in the digital age’, A/HRC/51/17, 4 August 2022, para. 28, https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/ahrc5117-right-privacy-digital-age.
[2] https://edps.europa.eu/press-publications/press-news/press-releases/2022/combat-child-sexual-abuse-online-presents-serious-risks-fundamental-rights_en.
[3] https://home.crin.org/readlistenwatch/stories/privacy-and-protection.
[4] https://www.wired.com/story/europe-break-encryption-leaked-document-csa-law/.
[5] https://cdt.org/area-of-focus/government-surveillance/encryption-and-government-hacking/.

Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2023-001661_EN.html (EUP Parliamentary question E-001661/2023)

So yeah, it is now established that forcing law enforcement on E2EE messaging services goes against human rights. glhf EUC

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

At least they have the courtesy to write it into law.

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