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Chat Control approved: Certain EU countries will see your private messages. Is yours on the list?

By Adam Woodward • Published: 29 Nov 2025 • 9:44 • 2 minutes read

Chat apps open to prying eyes.

Chat apps open to prying eyes. Credit: Andrey Solovev - Shutterstock

After more than three years of European Parliament in-fighting, EU governments have finally agreed on a controversial new law that gives a backdoor to reading text messages and viewing photo messages on private individuals phones for the purpose of fighting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. Critics call it “Chat Control” and say it is potentially a serious threat to everyone’s privacy.

The European law is officially called the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR). Its most controversial part would let companies scan private messages through a kind of tech backdoor into your phone – even on apps with strong end-to-end encryption like Signal or WhatsApp, in order to look for illegal pictures and videos.

For years the plan was to make this scanning mandatory. In early November 2025, however, the Danish government amended the text: scanning is now “voluntary” for individual EU states to decide upon. That small word change was enough for the 27 EU countries to agree on November 26.

Why many are not celebrating.

Privacy experts and scientists say “voluntary” does not fix the problem. Companies can still be pressured to scan chats to avoid heavy fines or being blocked in the EU. A few days before the vote, more than 100 scientists sent an open letter warning that the new version still puts privacy, security, and free speech at high risk.

What the new law actually does:

  • Every messaging and cloud service has to check how its platform could be misused.
  • Services that are seen as “high-risk” may have to build or use scanning tools.
  • A new EU agency, we don’t know who yet, will watch over everything and decide who has to do what.

Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard welcomed the deal, saying it forces companies to help stop the spread of child abuse material.

But online, many are up in arms. On the tech forum Hacker News, one user wrote, “Today the Danish government turned the EU into a surveillance machine. I’m not sure we can ever go back.”

What happens next?

The EU governments will now negotiate the final text with the European Parliament. These talks (called “trilogue”) will decide whether the law becomes stricter, weaker, or stays the same.

Privacy campaigners are urging citizens to contact their MEPs and ask them to protect strong encryption and private communication.

For millions of Europeans, the big question is simple: can we really stop child abuse online without turning everyone’s phone into a surveillance device? Right now, the answer from Brussels looks worrying.

Tech giants like Meta, Apple, Google, and Signal, alongside encrypted email provider Tuta, argue this threatens end-to-end encryption and opens doors to broader monitoring.

The core concern: Platforms must now assess misuse risks and deploy “appropriate measures”, including AI-driven scans for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). While not forced, experts say fines or bans could make it de facto required. “This isn’t protection – it’s a loophole for mass scanning,” said Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal, in a recent statement.

The following are the countries where voluntary introduction of Chat Control will be, according to flightchatcontrol.es.

Countries which support the implementation of Chat Control:

Spain, Romania, Portugal, Malta Lithuania, Hungary, Ireland, France, Denmark, Croatia, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.

Countries that are undecided:

Belgium, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, and Sweden.

Countries which oppose Chat Control:

Slovenia, the Netherlands, Poland, Luxembourg, Germany, Estonia, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Austria

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Written by

Adam Woodward

Adam is a writer who has lived in Spain for over 25 years. With a background in English teaching and a passion for music, food, and the arts, he brings a rich personal perspective to his work at Euro Weekly News. As a father of three with deep roots in Spanish life, Adam writes engaging stories that explore culture, lifestyle, and the everyday experiences that shape communities across Spain.

Comments

    • naimah

      29 November 2025 • 11:35

      It´s just an excuse to monitor everything we message to each other. Shouldn´t be permitted

    • Mjef

      30 November 2025 • 07:08

      Tech should prevent this at the point of use. Not go chasing.
      Tech companies need real enforcement of fraud and so many other abuses.
      Don’t tell me they can’t.

    • Helga Brutt

      30 November 2025 • 09:36

      Well my VPN will now move to a country that does not allow spying on my private life. This law is not necessary, it is all about control. The EU and other corrupt states often use the phrase ´´it is to protect the children´´ what a laugh that is, it has nothing to do with children. Are the EU saying that every adult is a paedophile? Because they are not, there are a few sick people around and they will know how to get round this law easily because that is how they operate. The people of Europe better wake up soon because our freedoms are being eroded daily by the corrupt EU.

      • j

        03 December 2025 • 04:08

        this works inside your device before anything is sent. a vpn takes action after you send something, so it wont impact this unfortunately. thats why its so dangerous compared to the uk and us versions of surveillance

    • Marion

      30 November 2025 • 11:42

      A very blunt and invasive instrument to attempt to control an online situation that the EU countries collectively allowed to happen in the first place. Always after the horse has bolted it seems….what happened to individual governments and the EU being proactive to protect children and all citizens, rather than being completely reactive and disingenuous. Huge infringement on personal privacy….what was GDPR for….there has to be a more targeted, effective and results driven solution for crime against children

    • Brian

      30 November 2025 • 15:34

      So this will mean that, for example, I comment about the monkey becoming Deputy Prime Minister of Britain, I could get into big trouble? Even speaking the truth will be punishable under the Commie lawmakers in Europe!

      • lockjaw

        30 November 2025 • 23:32

        I agree Chat Control is bad but I think you should be taken out back and shot

        • Brian

          05 December 2025 • 17:56

          Silly boy!

    • Andrew

      30 November 2025 • 22:59

      But the EU is wonderful, surely? This is what we keep being told by those who voted remain and are desperate to return to being run by the EU, because the idiots who voted to leave can’t be expected to take decisions about their own country without EU oversight like this initiative.

      • Mason

        02 December 2025 • 14:38

        I mean the UK implemented privacy breaching laws first without the EU
        Like the whole ID thing

    • Seb

      02 December 2025 • 07:35

      With how we’re slowly headed towards fascism. Us minorities are in danger with these backdoors exposing us. Just imagine what kind of field day Hitler would have had had this type of tech and law existed when he rose to power.

      • Brian

        07 December 2025 • 13:42

        Fascism? Much more like Communism!

    • a

      02 December 2025 • 21:08

      The list of supporting/undecided/opposing countries is out of date.

    Comments are closed.

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