The European Parliament has decided to fast-track the extension of temporary rules, which have earned the unflattering nickname "chat control" among the crypto community and human rights advocates. A repeat vote on this controversial document is scheduled for July 9, 2024.
331 members voted in favor of launching the urgent procedure, 304 voted against, and 11 abstained. An absolute majority of 361 votes is required to reject or amend the proposal. Thus, the current balance of power leaves room for maneuver but does not guarantee smooth passage of the document.
What is the essence of "chat control"?
It refers to temporary rules allowing EU law enforcement agencies to scan the contents of encrypted messages in messengers to identify materials related to child sexual abuse. However, critics, including representatives of the crypto industry and blockchain community, point out that such a measure creates a dangerous precedent for total surveillance of private correspondence, undermining the fundamental principles of privacy and decentralization that underpin cryptocurrencies and Web3.
The return to this issue amid growing pressure on privacy technologies raises serious concerns. If the rules are adopted in their current form, it could lead to a requirement to introduce "backdoors" into encryption—a step that would negatively impact the security of all users, including crypto asset holders and DeFi protocol participants.
Cryptalist Analysis: The European Parliament is once again balancing on the edge between protecting children and destroying digital privacy. For the crypto community, this is not just a bureaucratic dispute—it is a direct threat to the very idea of uncensorable communications. If the EU pushes through "chat control," we may see a wave of users migrating to more censorship-resistant decentralized networks, paradoxically strengthening the very technologies that regulators are trying to weaken.