Germany rejects EU’s Chat Control plan

Germany has announced it will oppose the European Union's proposed Chat Control regulation, a controversial measure that would compel messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Signal to scan users' private communications for child sexual abuse material, even on encrypted services, The Register reports. Jens Spahn of the Christian Democratic Union confirmed Berlin's rejection, calling the proposal "unacceptable" and comparing it to opening private letters "as a precaution." Germany's stance, representing nearly one-fifth of the EUs population, is likely to form a blocking minority ahead of the Oct. 14 vote, making it improbable for the regulation to pass. The decision follows mounting pressure from privacy advocates, human rights groups, and tech firms such as Signal and Tuta Mail, which have warned that Chat Control would effectively end end-to-end encryption and enable mass surveillance. Critics, including European Digital Rights, argue the measure threatens privacy, free expression, and online anonymity while offering little real protection against abuse.