Chat control: EU lawmakers finally agree on the voluntary scanning of your private chats

The EU Council has agreed on the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR) after three years of debate. This regulation, often called "Chat Control," requires messaging services in the EU to scan for child sexual abuse material, even those using end-to-end encryption. Recently, the Danish Presidency proposed making chat scanning voluntary, which led to the Council's agreement.

Despite this, privacy experts continue to voice concerns, stating the agreement "brings high risks to society." Negotiations with the European Parliament will focus on balancing child protection and digital rights. The regulation will also require digital companies to assess and mitigate misuse risks.