European Commission recently proposed a new regulation “to prevent and combat child sexual abuse” online, which is often referred to as Chat Control or CSA regulation.
If passed, this regulation will make all online platforms and internet service providers responsible for users’ private communications. This means that internet service providers and platforms will be able to scan all private communication between users in order to detect child sexual abuse materials (including WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook, Instagram and all other messaging apps and websites).
This regulation is a great threat to encryption and privacy and gives too much power to governments and private companies by increasing the level of surveillance. Such practices and erosion of privacy are harmful to everyone, including children; however, the threat is much more significant for criminalised communities such as sex workers. Once passed, this regulation will be applied in all European Union countries.
The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance – ESWA has recently joined European Digital Rights – EDRi and signed a letter together with 85+ civil society organisations in Europe calling European Commission to withdraw its proposal. You can read it here. The letter contains a summary of the proposed regulation and demonstrates how it can harm individuals and society.
In order to spread the word about this regulation and the danger it poses to marginalized and criminalized communities such as sex workers, ESWA is appealing for sharing and signing the letter to the following LINK.