Germany’s Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig and other officials from the ruling CDU party have firmly stated their opposition to the EU legislation that would require mass scanning of private communications prior to encryption. They argue that such measures violate constitutional privacy protections and liken mass scanning to opening all letters for inspection. This position represents a continuation of Germany’s long-standing resistance to the proposal, which has been a key point of contention since 2022.
The controversy surrounds the balance between preventing crimes like child sexual abuse by granting authorities pre-encryption access and protecting citizens’ privacy rights. Critics of the EU proposal, including privacy advocates and tech leaders such as Signal’s CEO Meredith Whittaker, warn that undermining encryption could weaken security and lead to government overreach. The proposal’s implications could extend beyond messages to include audio and video content, raising further concerns.
The German government’s opposition may not end the debate, as Western governments continue to demand limits on strong encryption to investigate criminal activities. The case highlights enduring tensions between law enforcement interests and privacy protections, with real-world impacts such as Apple’s removal of end-to-end encryption features in the UK due to governmental pressures. The outcome of the upcoming EU vote will be significant for encryption policies across Europe.
👉 Pročitaj original: CyberScoop
