- German encrypted E -Mail provider, Tuta Mail, is ready to sue EU if Child Sexual Abuse (CSAM) The scanning bill is allowed
- Calname Chat Control has attracted strong criticism for undermining encryption protection
- EU members are set to share their positions on September 12, with expected adoption as early as October 2025
The German encrypted E email provider Tuta Mail is ready to withdraw the EU in court if the controversial sexual abuse of children (CSAM) becomes law.
The Calname Chat Control has attracted strong criticism among both technological experts and politicians for its provisions on encryption. In fact, the bill seeks to introduce new obligations for all message services operating in Europe to scan users’ chats, even when encrypted, looking for CSAM material.
“We will not stand by while the EU is destroying encryption,” says Matthias PFAU, CEO of Tuta Mail. “If chat control passes, we, as encrypted, offer two options: Sue to fight for people’s privacy or leave the EU. A third option-undermining end-to-end encryption of tuta mail-is not an opportunity for us. So we would go with opportunity because everyone deserves privacy.”
Tuta Mail is not certainly alone about feeling that way. On Tuesday, September 9, over 500 cryptographic experts signed an open letter to warn the EU Council on the risk of accepting the proposal in its current form.
With the first iteration revealed in 2022, the Danish version of the proposal has so far it with the most chances to pass. Despite the opposition growing, support among the EU members remains stronger.
The EU council members are set to share their final positions on Friday, September 12, where adoption is expected as early as October 2025 if an agreement exists.
How likely should chat control go?
According to the latest data, 15 countries support the law (including crucial members such as France, Italy and Spain), six opposing the law (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland) and six still indefinite (Germany, Estonia, Green, Green, Green, Romania and Slovenia).
Among the indecisive, Germany is certainly the most crucial country capable of either blocking or supporting the bill depending on its attitude. According to a source of knowledge of the case that spoke to Techradar, Germany may be considering failing to take a position during the September 12 meeting.
This is something that will weaken the Danish mandate, “even if the Presidency gets the required votes to adopt,” explains Techradar’s source.
PFAU in Tuta still sees Germany’s attitude as worrying, considering that the previous administration, unlike the previous administration, is no longer against the Chat Control proposal.
“Given the history of the reigning parties (CDU & SPD), it is much more likely that the new government will place itself in favor of chat control – although it is very likely that the law violates privacy rights awarded to all citizens of the German constitution,” PFAU told Techradar.
Nevertheless, “for us, it is a paradox that the German government has given us 1.5 million euros to develop a driving solution with post-quantity encryption, and now EU politicians want to ruin this high level of security again with chat control,” added PFAU. You can read Tuta’s full statement here.
In fact, encryption is the technology that Tuta Mail, Proton Mail, Signal and WhatsApp (but also the best VPN services) uses to keep our communication privately. The protection of mandatory scanning and detection technologies being set to dangerous undermin, experts warn.
