EU’s “Chat Control” Bill Raises Privacy Concerns and Could Push Users Toward Web3 Platforms
European lawmakers are near agreeing on a proposal called the “Chat Control” law (part of the Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse), which would oblige platforms to scan private messages before they are encrypted. Privacy specialists warn this could undermine encryption and erode users’ trust in digital platforms.
Critics argue the law opens a de facto backdoor into messaging services, contradicting EU guarantees of communication confidentiality and data protection (Articles 7 & 8 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights). One expert, Hans Rempel (co-founder & CEO of Diode), describes this as giving “nearly unlimited visibility into private lives,” calling it an excessive and dangerous overreach. Another, Elisenda Fabrega, notes that client-side scanning could monitor user devices even in cases where there’s no indication of illegal activity.
A major concern is that, if people lose trust in conventional messengers because of these requirements, they may shift toward Web3 (blockchain- or decentralized) platforms which by design prioritize encryption and self-custody of data. According to Rempel, Web3’s slogan “Not your keys, not your data” captures this notion of full control of one’s own information. Fabrega adds that privacy-conscious users may increasingly prefer decentralized options — though she also warns this could lead to fragmentation of Europe’s digital market and weaken the EU’s ability to guide privacy norms globally.
On the legislative front, 15 EU member states support the proposal, but that is not enough: under EU rules, a qualified majority (65% of the EU population) is required. Germany holds a key position; if it votes in favour, the law is likely to pass; if it opposes or abstains, the proposal may fail.
