Dänischer Justizminister zieht EU-Vorschlag zur Chat-Kontrolle zurück! (Artikel auf Dänisch)

This is amazing! Unexpected, considering how bad things looked.

Bur now there’s other matters to fight on the digital front. Like mandatory age verification and dumb obscenity laws.

I’ve been so angry and embarrassed with my government for spear heading this, and they keep framing this as a hit for online child safety. I’m sorry that we had to fight this in the first place, but thanks to everyone who did!

Wasn’t it reported here the other day that a worse version was drafted? I remembe reading something like Chat Control on steroids

Great news! Just remember: the next Presidency goes to Cyprus who also support chat control. And after them it`s Ireland, which are discussing a domestic version of Chat Control for domestic use.

See you next week.

Things in EU tech policy seem to shift pretty quickly lately.

**The Danish EU presidency could not create support for proposals to scan messages for sexual abuse material.**

The government will no longer force tech giants to scan citizens‘ messages for images of sexual abuse of children.

The Danish EU presidency is thus withdrawing its proposal after both Germany and the governing party Moderaterne have opposed it. This is stated in a written comment.

„This will mean that the detection order will not be part of the EU Presidency’s new compromise proposal, and that it will continue to be voluntary for the tech giants to trace material with sexual abuse of children,“ said Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard (Social Democratic Party).

He is at the head of the table in the work to get the CSA regulation adopted during the Danish EU Presidency, which lasts until the new year.

The regulation was originally proposed by the European Commission in 2022. It could force tech companies to scan the content of private citizens‘ photos and videos on encrypted services.

But both Germany and later the Moderates withdrew their support for the proposal because it was too intrusive.

# Believes the proposal was less intrusive

However, Hummelgaard believes that Denmark’s proposal was less intrusive than the European Commission’s original proposal. And he emphasizes that Save the Children, Unicef, Children’s Conditions and Digital Responsibility gave their clear support.

However, the risk of losing an important tool is highly valued.

– Right now, we are in a situation where we risk completely losing a key tool in the fight against sexual abuse of children, because the current scheme, which allows for voluntary scanning, expires in April 2026.

– Therefore, we have to act no matter what. We owe it to all the children who are exposed to outrageous abuse, says Peter Hummelgaard.

The government’s original proposal will violate fundamental freedoms and will potentially result in mass surveillance of citizens in the EU, according to critics. They include hundreds of researchers and experts, the Danish Data Ethics Council and the tech giants themselves.

Germany has directly called it „mass surveillance“ in the past.

„Mass surveillance of private messages must be taboo in a state governed by the rule of law,“ the German Ministry of Justice wrote on X.

Save the Children calls the voluntary tracing via scanning a „huge success“ and is frustrated that there was no support for a compromise.

– We are deeply concerned and frustrated that there has not been European support for a compromise where tech companies can be required to track down and remove photos and videos of sexual abuse of children, says senior adviser in digital child protection Tashi Andersen in a written comment.

Don’t be too happy. ProtectEU and EU going black is still ongoing.