EU postpones vote on child sexual abuse regulation
Date
6/26/2024 7:47:40 AM
(MENAFN) Belgium’s European Union presidency has delayed a crucial vote on a contentious law aimed at combating child sex abuse, Politico reported on Thursday. The proposed legislation, which would require encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to scan users’ messages for potential child abuse material, faced significant opposition from member states over concerns about privacy and cybersecurity.
According to European Union diplomats speaking to Politico, the decision to postpone the vote came after it became clear that the proposal lacked the necessary qualified majority support among member states. Ambassadors at the European Union Council had been slated to decide on endorsing a collective stance on the regulation, but reservations from countries including Germany, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic led to expectations of abstentions or outright opposition.
An unnamed diplomat from Belgium’s European Union presidency cited difficulties in garnering consensus, stating, “In the last hours, it appeared that the required qualified majority would just not be met.” German Minister of Internal Affairs Nancy Faeser publicly expressed her intention to vote against the law, emphasizing the need to protect children from sexual violence while ensuring measures are targeted and compliant with legal standards.
The draft law, introduced in 2022, has sparked intense debate, particularly among digital rights advocates who argue that it could compel messaging platforms to conduct widespread online surveillance. Critics, including privacy advocacy groups, contend that such measures could undermine end-to-end encryption, which is essential for user privacy and security in digital communications.
Despite calls from countries like Ireland and Spain for robust legislation to monitor online content amidst rising concerns over child sexual abuse materials, opposition within the European Union Council has stalled progress on the proposed law. The postponement reflects ongoing challenges in balancing the imperative to combat online child exploitation with safeguarding individual privacy rights in the digital age.RE: Germany busts darknet pedophile network.
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