EU Lawmakers Back Rules on Forcing Big Tech to Tackle Child Pornography
By Pierre Herubel – November 23, 2023
The EU has made a significant move by proposing rules that will require tech companies like Meta, Google, and other online services to report and take down online child pornography, as reported by Reuters. These proposed regulations will mandate the reporting and removal of known and new photos and videos related to child pornography, grooming incidents, and other child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The EU’s proposed law, dubbed the child sexual abuse regulation (CSAR), aims to establish an independent EU Centre on Child Sexual Abuse (EU Centre) and obligations for service providers and national authorities in tackling online child sexual abuse material.
In response to this legislation, Meta, Google, and other tech giants have been granted the freedom to choose the technology used to detect these violations, as long as they undergo an independent public audit process. Despite the good intentions behind this legislation, there have been criticisms from online safety advocates, specialists, and privacy campaigners who are concerned about potential violations of fundamental rights and online privacy for EU citizens. However, the latest draft rules have been subject to revisions that exclude end-to-end encrypted content from detection, while allowing the issuance of time-limited detection warrants to track down illicit material.
The proposed law has emerged as a necessity due to the increasing prevalence of child sexual abuse on the internet, with the number of reports in the EU rising exponentially over a decade. It is believed that the current voluntary detection methods are insufficient to safeguard children, prompting the need for stricter regulations. These developments are crucial in tackling an issue that continues to affect millions of people worldwide.
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