Despite warnings from various EU institutions and civil society groups about the proposal's potential threat to democratic rights, the Commission continues to support the CSAM detection orders. The EU's ombudsman is currently considering a complaint by a journalist seeking access to documents related to the CSAM regulation and the EU’s decision-making process. The Commission has withheld 28 documents and partially redacted five others, citing reasons such as public security, personal data protection, commercial interests, legal advice, and decision-making protection. The ombudsman has criticized the Commission's lack of transparency and selective info releases.
Key takeaways:
- The European Commission has been urged to disclose its dealings with private tech companies regarding a controversial tech policy that could mandate the scanning of EU citizens’ private messages to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
- Concerns have been raised about the tech industry's influence on the Commission’s drafting of the CSAM-scanning proposal and the potential commercial gain for firms supplying the scanning technology.
- The EU’s ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, has found maladministration in the Commission's handling of the issue, particularly in relation to transparency and the withholding of certain information.
- Despite warnings about the potential impact on privacy and security, the Commission continues to support the CSAM detection orders, with critics suggesting that commercial interests may have influenced the original proposal.