Goodbye Privacy: Countries Want to Scan All Citizens' Private Messages, Even the Most Intimate

Goodbye Privacy: Countries Want to Scan All Citizens’ Private Messages, Even the Most Intimate

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 10/08/2025 at 12:12

Foto: Reprodução

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The Proposal Known As “Chat Control” Rekindled An Intense Debate In The European Union About How Far Governments Can Go In The Name Of Security. By Foreseeing The Scanning Of All Private Messages, Including Encrypted Ones, The Project Puts At Risk The Privacy Of Millions Of Citizens And Raises Questions About Fundamental Rights.

Sending a photo, a video, or even simple messages to someone close has always been seen as a personal act. The most important thing is that, for many people, this should remain restricted to the sender and the receiver.

However, a European bill called “Chat Control” seeks to change this scenario.

Supported by countries like France, Germany, and Spain, the plan calls for the scanning of all messages sent through apps like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram, including those protected by encryption.

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Direct Scanning On The Device

The project was relaunched in 2025 by Denmark. The proposal requires messaging apps to examine not only texts but also photos, videos, and emails.

The analysis would be done through what is called Client-Side Scanning, which processes the content directly on the phone or computer even before sending.

For experts, it’s like talking in a café believing to be private, but with a hidden microphone recording everything.

This method puts even well-intentioned conversations under suspicion, eliminating any guarantee of privacy in the digital environment.

Resistance From Several Countries

The “Chat Control” is not a consensus in the European Union. Nations like Austria, the Netherlands, and Slovenia have already declared their opposition to the proposal.

European lawmakers, like Patrick Breyer, classify the measure as a direct attack on citizens’ privacy.

In addition, cybersecurity experts warn that creating a backdoor for scanning messages could open up vulnerabilities for hacker attacks or be exploited by authoritarian regimes.

According to critics, the measure amounts to creating a deliberate vulnerability in systems that currently protect sensitive data of millions of people.

Once opened, this “digital Pandora’s box” could have unpredictable consequences.

Central Points Of The Debate

Among the main elements of the project are: the goal of identifying material related to sexual crimes against children; the mandatory verification of all messages, including encrypted ones; and the use of analysis on devices before sending.

France, Germany, Spain, and Poland support the initiative, while countries like Austria, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg are positioned against.

The next discussion on the topic in the European bloc is scheduled for September 12, 2025. Lawyers linked to the European Union claim that, in its current form, the project violates the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU.

Impact On Users

If approved, “Chat Control” could radically change the way people communicate. Even those with nothing to hide would have their content monitored. This would include personal photos, conversations with family, professional exchanges, and any type of data sent through apps.

Privacy advocates argue that just because the measure aims for security does not mean it is acceptable.

Moreover, experienced criminals would likely find ways to bypass the system, leaving the control concentrated on ordinary people.

The lingering question for millions of users is whether, to increase online security, it is really necessary to give up all privacy.

Goodbye Privacy: Countries Want to Scan All Citizens’ Private Messages, Even the Most Intimate

Direct Scanning On The Device

Resistance From Several Countries

Central Points Of The Debate

Impact On Users

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Goodbye Privacy: Countries Want to Scan All Citizens’ Private Messages, Even the Most Intimate

Direct Scanning On The Device

Resistance From Several Countries

Central Points Of The Debate

Impact On Users

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