SDP leader says EC’s Chat control regulation will lead to an Orwellian society

The EU Commission proposes to mandate that all service providers search all private communication for suspicious content automatically, generally and indiscriminately. It also includes the use of network blocking, screening of personal cloud storage including private photos, mandatory age verification. Some argue that this will end anonymous communication, introduce appstore censorship and exclude minors from the digital world.

On Thursday SDP leader Siniša Hajdaš Dončić called on the Government to withdraw its vote of support for the proposal for the European Chat Control regulation. The European Commission's proposed regulation would oblige providers to automatically search all private chats, messages, and emails for so-called suspicious content, generally and indiscriminately. The commission claims that the goal is to prosecute child sexual exploitation material. However, many see it as little more than mass surveillance by means of fully automated real-time surveillance of messaging and chats and the end of privacy of digital correspondence. For his part, Hajdaš Dončić said that under the guise of stopping the exploitation of minors on social media the regulation encroaches on the privacy of tech-users and marks a serious step towards an Orwellian society: "This means that under the guise of stopping the exploitation of minors online, which we absolutely support, this regulation introduces through the back door the ability to scan all of our messages, pictures and videos that we send to each other. This European proposal has been in the public domain for almost three years now, and Prime Minister Plenković and Justice, Administration and Digital Transformation Minister Damir Habijan have both supported it. Some countries stood against it."

Hajdaš Dončić also argued that the regulation will empower the Government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Chief State Prosecutor Ivan Turudić to spy on their own citizens at will: "All European supervisory regulatory bodies that generally deal with the protection of personal data say that this proposed law, i.e. regulation, is dangerous because, for example, in Croatia, it will allow, say, Plenković or Turudić to spy on us. It's that simple. And it's all under the guise of preventing the sexual exploitation of children on social media. I completely denounce such activities but this is all because 0.03 percent of the population is sick. But that can't be an excuse to spy on 100 percent of the population."

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Davor Božinović responded to the SDP leader: "It's hard to reason with people who have no idea what they're talking about. If they knew anything, they'd know that there's a working group meeting on September 12th where officials from member states will discuss certain issues. No decisions have been made at the expert level, let alone at the level of the European Council or Commission level. Not only has this not become legislation, there is no guarantee it will."

Source: HRT