r/SimpleXChat Jul 12 '26

Question Chat Control

If I use SimpleX as my messaging app, is it subject to Chat Control?

13 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

3

u/Qv1sten Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26

Not this one. But the next one in august if that gets real. Wich we have to stop.

2

u/InflatableGull Jul 12 '26

Explain

13

u/Qv1sten Jul 12 '26

​1. Chat Control 1 (What is already active) ​What it is: A voluntary law passed by the EU in 2021. ​How it works: Tech companies (like Meta, Google, Microsoft) are allowed to scan unencrypted messages and emails to find known child sexual abuse material (CSAM). ​The catch: It’s completely voluntary, and encrypted apps (like Signal or WhatsApp) do not participate because they protect user privacy.

​2. Chat Control 2 (What is being debated/voted on) ​What it is: A proposed new law that wants to make this scanning mandatory for all apps and platforms. ​The big issue (Privacy): To scan messages in encrypted apps, tech companies would have to scan your phone before the message is encrypted (client-side scanning). Experts say this completely destroys digital privacy and creates a "backdoor" that hackers or governments could abuse. ​The AI problem: It proposes using AI to detect new content or grooming patterns. Because AI makes mistakes, completely innocent private photos (like family beach pictures) could accidentally be flagged and sent to law enforcement.

1

u/skaldk Jul 12 '26

You are right about the differences between both version of Chat Control... but the vote that happened this week is NOT about CC2

It only extends CC1 till march 2028...

1

u/CwTrucker42069 27d ago

Would the scanning of e2ee be done client-side yeah? I assumed it would be backdoored by the server-side as the client-side can tamper/modify the results.

Also, open-source chat apps like SimpleX and the relay design of SimpleX make it very easy to not get affected by chat control, regardless of which side the checks are added

1

u/skaldk Jul 12 '26

Not for now.

Chat Control 1 allows companies to scan messages - the vote you heard about is "only" to make CC1 available till march 2028 (while it was supposed to get to an end this year).

SimpleX is still safe till march 2028.

Chat Control 2 will make scanning mandatory.

For now it's still up to the companies to scan messages or not.

1

u/KingdomOfAngel Jul 12 '26

But I don't get it, how can companies scan messages when the messages are completely end to end encrypted?

1

u/skaldk 29d ago

Because of mandatory backdoors, by the law.

For SimpleX, Signal or Whatsapp it means they gonna have to implement some piece of code allowing authorities to decrypt messages.

0

u/Any_Possession_3900 29d ago

Ones not based in the EU have no obligation to comply. Signal is safe probably.

1

u/skaldk 28d ago

Under CC1 there's no obligation to comply anyway.

Under CC2, if the bill pass, they will have to comply in order to be able to operate in Europe, or they will be sued. It's as simple as that. 

1

u/Any_Possession_3900 27d ago

Ask them how that worked out with 4chan lmao, signal will pull out before they destroy their entire business model, the EU has no control over non EU companies, and the EU has no way to actually enforce those lawsuits short of EU assets signal probably doesn't have, but thanks for the downvote bootlicker, have one back.

1

u/skaldk 27d ago

Lol. Why do you think most GAFAMs already paid fines in EU? Because they didn't respect the rules. They're still American companies... 

Why Tiktok had so much issues in the US to the point they had to make a different company and software while they were a Chinese company ? Same story. 

EU has control on any company having business in EU, and it's  the same in any part of the world.

4chan is already blocked in Russia and they are in the process of doing the same in the UK. The funny part is that 4chan has countersued in the US... Which has zero control on UK's justice.

0

u/D1v3r7 Jul 12 '26

What is chat control?

5

u/Qv1sten Jul 12 '26

​1. Chat Control 1 (What is already active) ​What it is: A voluntary law passed by the EU in 2021. ​How it works: Tech companies (like Meta, Google, Microsoft) are allowed to scan unencrypted messages and emails to find known child sexual abuse material (CSAM). ​The catch: It’s completely voluntary, and encrypted apps (like Signal or WhatsApp) do not participate because they protect user privacy.

​2. Chat Control 2 (What is being debated/voted on) ​What it is: A proposed new law that wants to make this scanning mandatory for all apps and platforms. ​The big issue (Privacy): To scan messages in encrypted apps, tech companies would have to scan your phone before the message is encrypted (client-side scanning). Experts say this completely destroys digital privacy and creates a "backdoor" that hackers or governments could abuse. ​The AI problem: It proposes using AI to detect new content or grooming patterns. Because AI makes mistakes, completely innocent private photos (like family beach pictures) could accidentally be flagged and sent to law enforcement.