Germany wants to further prevent chat control in Europe
Buschmann commented on the EU Commission's plans to take action against depictions of child abuse on the internet. Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson originally wanted to introduce legislation to oblige internet platforms to spy on private chat messages.
However, the legislative plans failed due to opposition from Berlin, among others. Buschmann emphasized that the German government had "a lot of support for its concerns, including from the European Parliament".
The EU Commission now wants to allow the controversial chat control to continue on a voluntary basis for the time being. According to Friday, internet platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat will be allowed to screen private messages or posts for offensive content for up to two more years. The extension is to take effect from August 4 of next year.
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- The Free Democratic Party (FDP) in Germany has expressed its opposition to the EU Commission's proposal for voluntary chat control.
- Eurosceptics within the European Union, such as the FDP, argue that this form of surveillance infringes on privacy rights.
- Marco Buschmann, a prominent member of the FDP, criticized the EU Commission's plans, arguing that it would put Germany at odds with the principles of a federal government.
- In Brussels, the seat of the EU Commission, there is a push to adopt more stringent measures to combat child abuse online, despite the opposition from Germany and its allies.
- Despite the controversy, Commissioner Johansson remains firm in her belief that chat control is necessary to protect children from harmful content.
- The FDP, with its strong presence in German politics, has vowed to continue advocating for a more balanced approach to online safety and privacy.
- It remains to be seen if Germany can persuade other EU member states to join it in its quest to prevent the federal government from implementing chat control in Europe.
Source: www.stern.de
