The so-called CSAM regulation, which explicitly targets child sexual abuse, is a step closer to being hammered out in the EU after member states agreed on their views on the matter. But critics have seen it as a move closer to mass surveillance within the union.
The original proposal was presented by the EU's former Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson (S) in the spring of 2022. It quickly gained the nickname "chat control", as critics believed that the tools that would scan for and alert about abuse material were far too blunt and extensive - all digital communication could be monitored, it was said.
New formulations
Since then, member states have tried to agree on different versions of the proposal, without success. The EU Parliament agreed on a position two years ago, a version of the proposal with significantly less oversight and lower requirements than the original text.
Even the text that the member states have now agreed on has removed and rewritten large parts of the original proposal, especially when it comes to monitoring.
"Nothing in this regulation shall be construed as requiring providers to detect (abuse material)," it says.
Instead, it is about companies, continuing on a voluntary basis, risk assessing their services. But also about more feedback to authorities and faster action in the event of suspected crimes.
Several of the previous more general paragraphs regarding how the material may be searched have also been deleted.
Political disagreement
In Sweden, CSAM has divided both the government and the opposition. SD and C objected to the proposal early on. V and MP did not object, by mistake according to the parties, when the issue was raised in the Justice Committee at the beginning of last year. As recently as Saturday, the ruling party KD's parliament said no to the proposal. The Moderates also went to the EU elections on the basis of opposing "chat control".
Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) has expressed his support for the proposal, but said that it is a "complicated issue that must take time."
There has long been disagreement among member states. France, Hungary and Spain are in the camp in favor of the regulation, while Germany, Finland and Poland are against it.
