A new version of the proposal was presented to an EU Council working group on Wednesday this week. Data scientist and artificial intelligence developer Vlad Yevlakhov said on the X Network that the proposal envisages a blanket restriction of apps for minors under 16.
According to him, these users would no longer be able to install common communication applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Facebook or games containing chat, such as Minecraft.
“They don’t realize the consequences”
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Yevlakhov also draws attention to mandatory identity verification. “If it passes, you will have to provide your ID or face scan for every email and messenger account you have,” he warned. According to him, European politicians “do not realize the consequences” of such a measure, in practice it would mean the end of anonymous communication on the Internet.
According to the current timetable, trialogues between the European Commission (EC), the European Parliament (EP) and the Council of the EU could start in early 2026, with the final vote planned for April of the same year.
Indie developer and digital nomad Pieter Levels also posted a scathing critique on the X Network, claiming that the proposal brought “an even more invasive form of Chat Control” back to the table.
According to Levels, the proposal contains three essential elements: mandatory general monitoring of all text chats, e-mails and posts on social networks, mandatory linking of a user account with an ID card or passport, and a minimum age of 16 for using chat and communication applications.
“Political manipulation”
A similarly harsh criticism comes from former MEP and digital rights expert Patrick Breyer. He called the procedure “political manipulation”, as the original proposal was rejected by several states due to concerns about widespread surveillance.
According to Breyer, although the new text formally removes the obligation to scan the content of messages, it introduces a “risk mitigation” obligation that could ultimately lead to the same effect. According to him, providers could be forced to implement tools for automatic scanning of texts, photos and videos, even on devices with encryption.
It is the effort to push through in connection with “risk mitigation” that experts consider to be “circumventing the back door”.
Experts agree that with the introduction of mandatory identification, anonymous communication would practically disappear. According to them, this would have an impact not only on ordinary users, but also on journalists, whistleblowers or political activists who need anonymity to protect resources or personal safety.
Experts also consider a blanket ban on applications for minors to be unrealistic. According to them, it would lead to circumvention of the rules and to digital isolation rather than to the protection of children.
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The decision is in the hands of the member states
Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Estonia or Finland have previously opposed the widespread scanning of communications. If these countries reject the proposal again, it may be stopped before the trilogues begin.
According to the current plan, a decision on the final form of the proposal should be made by spring 2026.
Previously submitted legislation envisages that operators of chat applications, cloud services or social networks will have to automatically scan all messages and files of their users. If the algorithms picked up content related to child abuse, the data would be immediately handed over to the relevant authorities.
The Danish Presidency promotes the proposal as a necessary means of protecting minors in the digital environment. However, experts warn that the introduction of blanket monitoring represents an unprecedented invasion of privacy and that real criminals can easily circumvent the restrictions by using VPNs and services outside the EU.
Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard recently stated on state television TV2 that citizens do not have the right to use apps with encrypted communications. “We need to get rid of the completely false impression that the use of encrypted communications applications is a civil right,” Hummelgaard said.
