TL;DR
- Vitalik Buterin warns EU's proposed Chat Control law undermines privacy and security.
- Law would require platforms to scan private messages for illegal content.
- Buterin argues surveillance backdoors are "inevitably hackable."
- Leaked draft shows lawmakers, police, and military seeking exemptions.
- Germany's vote could decide whether the bill passes or fails.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has taken aim at the European Union's proposed Chat Control legislation, a controversial plan that would require platforms to scan private messages for illegal material.
In a post on X, Buterin didn't hold back.
Buterin's point was simple: surveillance backdoors don't just give governments access-they create permanent weaknesses in systems that hackers or hostile actors can exploit.
What Is Chat Control?
The Chat Control law is a proposed EU regulation aimed at tackling online child abuse material. But critics say its methods go too far. The legislation would require messaging platforms-from WhatsApp to encrypted services like Signal-to scan all private communications for flagged content.
That means end-to-end encryption, the gold standard for secure messaging, could be weakened or bypassed entirely. Supporters argue it's about protecting children. Opponents, including privacy advocates, technologists, and now Buterin, say it's a dangerous step toward mass surveillance.
Lawmaker Hypocrisy
Buterin didn't just stop at criticizing the technical risks. He also called out what he saw as double standards.
Buterin noted, linking to a report from EU Reporter.
According to a leaked draft of the law, EU interior ministers are pushing to exempt themselves, intelligence agencies, police, and the military from Chat Control's surveillance requirements. In other words: ordinary citizens could see their private messages scanned, while the most powerful institutions get a pass.
Pieter Levels Sounds the Alarm
Buterin's comments came in response to entrepreneur Pieter Levels, who urged Europeans to reject the regulation.
Levels warned that the bill, if passed, could effectively hand governments the ability to access personal messages at will. His post sparked a wave of replies from privacy advocates, many arguing the EU risks destroying Europe's role as a defender of digital rights.
Why Privacy Backdoors Fail
The idea of "lawful access" backdoors isn't new. For years, governments have argued they need ways to monitor encrypted communications for criminal activity.
But history shows these approaches rarely stay limited to their original scope. Once a backdoor exists, it can be exploited by hackers, authoritarian regimes, or even insiders.
Buterin summed it up:
In practice, this could put journalists, activists, businesses, and everyday citizens at risk of surveillance or cyberattacks. But unfortunately right now, the legislation has support from 15 EU countries, but that's not enough. To pass, the bill needs backing from states representing at least 65% of the EU population.
A Bigger Debate
Buterin's intervention is part of a broader global conversation about privacy, security, and trust in the digital age.
Governments argue that encryption without exceptions makes it impossible to fight child exploitation and terrorism online. Tech experts counter that breaking encryption for one purpose means breaking it for all. This debate is unlikely to end with the EU. The U.S., U.K., and Australia have all floated or implemented similar proposals in the past, often sparking backlash from civil liberties groups and the tech community.
What Happens Next
The Chat Control law is still under negotiation. EU ministers are expected to debate the proposal in the coming weeks. Whether Germany tips the scales will determine if this controversial legislation moves forward.
For now, Buterin has added his voice to a growing chorus of critics warning that privacy is not something to trade away lightly.
Or as he put it:
