When: Thursday, September 11, 2025 – 19:00 EEST (Cyprus time)
Where: https://calls.disroot.org/ChatControlCyBriefing
Join us on 11 September, 19:00 EEST for a Briefing Session to unpack the EU’s proposed Chat Control Regulation–formally known as the Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse (CSAR), with an eye to both protecting children and preserving digital privacy. This session aims to deliver technical clarity, assess legal implications, and foster open, evidence-driven dialogue to help guide policymakers toward balanced, rights-respecting solutions.
Why This Matters: Balancing Child Protection & Digital Rights
The EU’s proposed Chat Control Regulation (CSAR) seeks to combat online child sexual abuse through mandatory detection and reporting requirements. It raises urgent questions about privacy, encryption, child protection, and proportionality.
What is the Chat Control Regulation?
Goal: Prevent child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online.
Mechanism: Mandates detection, reporting, and removal of CSAM—potentially even in encrypted services via client-side scanning, where user content is analyzed before encryption, circumventing end-to-end security.
Latest Timeline & Stakes
14 October 2025: Earliest expected Council vote.
12 September 2025: EU Member States finalize positions in Council working groups.
Call for Participation
We believe that good policy emerges from inclusive dialogue. This session is not only for experts, but also for:
- Policymakers and public servants shaping Cyprus’ stance in the EU
- Parents and educators concerned about children’s safety online
- Technologists and entrepreneurs invested in secure digital infrastructures
- Civil society groups defending fundamental rights
e encourage participants to bring questions, concerns, and insights, so that together we can map the opportunities and risks and help policymakers in Cyprus make well-informed decisions.
Speakers
Theodotos Andreou: Chatcontrol Overview
Theodotos Andreou is a seasoned system administrator (Collabora, Cyprus University of Technology) and a committed advocate for digital rights and open-source software, he is a founding member of both Ubuntucy and the Cyprus FOSS Community (ΕΛ/ΛΑΚ Cyprus), playing a pivotal role in promoting free and open-source projects within the Cypriot tech ecosystem.
Through his blog “Mouflons and Penguins”, Andreou shares technical insights, personal experiences, and reflections on digital rights, exploring digital vulnerabilities and privacy concerns.
https://archive.theo-andreou.org
Callum Voge: The development of the ChatControl debate, and its risks
Callum Voge is Director of Governmental Affairs and Advocacy, at the Internet Society, where he tracks and analyzes legislation affecting the Internet and advocatse for policies that protect its open and secure nature. Prior to joining the Internet Society, he served as a senior policy advisor in the UK Civil Service, leading Internet safety negotiations under the UK’s G7 presidency and advising on digital currencies, mobile payments, and big tech. He also has experience in international media partnerships through his work at Project Syndicate. https://www.internetsociety.org/author/voge/
Marios Isaakidis: “Understanding the technical side of ChatControl legislation”
Marios develops technologies, mechanisms and policies that establish our freedoms in the Information Age. He serves as director at infotropic.tech specializing in Internet freedom, privacy engineering, protocol design and blockchain applications.
Code https://github.com/misaakidis
Publications https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6t9PJ2sAAAAJ
Kyriakos Prokopi: Backdooring Comms is a Dangerous Idea – Recent Historical Events, Facts & Lessons to be Learnt [GR] – English Translation here
Kyriakos Prokopi has experience in the management of research and development (R&D) for ICT and Internet Service Projects. Successfully managed the proposal, design, delivery and support phases for innovative on-line, desktop and mobile solutions for clients, partners and in-house, based on Internet, Open Source and proprietary technologies. Research interest areas include CyberSecurity / InfoSec, remote sensor networks, eHealth, AAL (Ambient Assisted Living), GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and Geospatial Mapping, Processing & Analysis.
Marianthe Stavridou: Closing stateents on the dangers of centralisation
Head of Business Ethics at Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CCRS) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland
Sustainable Development is our future. Human rights, a collaborative economy, sustainable finance and a high level of understanding between people could make possible for us to live in a better planet. In a globalized world, the only solution is to change mentalities and innovate the future, giving local solutions to global problems with understanding and respect for ethical, cultural and local differences.
https://about.me/Maristavridou
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References
Andreas Shialaros. (2025, August 24). The EU is preparing to destroy digital privacy – and Cyprus supports it. Cyprus Mail. https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/08/24/the-eu-is-preparing-to-destroy-digital-privacy-and-cyprus-supports-it
CSA Regulation Document Pool—European Digital Rights (EDRi). (n.d.). Retrieved 29 August 2025, from https://edri.org/our-work/csa-regulation-document-pool/
Bernardi, C. V., Paula. (2025, July 25). Encryption Makes Us Powerful: Internet Society Hosts Encryption Advocacy Workshop for European Civil Society. Internet Society. https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2025/07/encryption-makes-us-powerful-internet-society-hosts-encryption-advocacy-workshop-for-european-civil-society/
Cyprus to stage discussion on chat control ahead of EU vote. (2025, September 9). https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/09/09/cyprus-to-stage-discussion-on-chat-control-ahead-of-eu-vote
EU-wide law proposal fraught with dangers. (2025, August 31). https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/08/31/eu-wide-law-proposal-fraught-with-dangers
Denmark Revives EU ‘Chat Control’ Proposal for Encrypted Message Scanning. (n.d.). London Daily. Retrieved 27 August 2025, from https://londondaily.com/denmark-revives-eu-chat-control-proposal-for-encrypted-message-scanning
EU Reconsiders ‘Chat Control’ as Denmark Reintroduces Controversial Encryption Scanning Bill—Https://eutoday.net. (2025, July 9). https://eutoday.net/eu-reconsiders-chat-control/
Fight Chat Control—Protect Digital Privacy in the EU. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 August 2025, from https://fightchatcontrol.eu/
‘Fighting crime blindfolded’: Europe is coming after encryption. (2025, April 23). POLITICO. https://www.politico.eu/article/encryption-crime-denmark-peter-hummelgaard-europe-privacy/
Open Letter for MEPs [GR]. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 August 2025, from https://cryptpad.fr/pad/
Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse. (2025). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Regulation_to_Prevent_and_Combat_Child_Sexual_Abuse&oldid=1308419934
Tomaz Lovsin. (2025, September 3). Safety or Surveillance? Europe’s Debate over Chat Control. https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/09/03/safety-or-surveillance-europes-debate-over-chat-control
Τomaz Lovsin. (2023, August 2). The EU Digital Services Act: A Potential Threat to Freedom of Speech [Substack newsletter]. Thomas’s Opinion Blog. https://oblivion777.substack.com/p/the-eu-digital-services-act-a-potential
Voge, C. (2025, May 26). Joint Letter on the European Internal Security Strategy (ProtectEU). Global Encryption Coalition. https://www.globalencryption.org/2025/05/joint-letter-on-the-european-internal-security-strategy-protecteu/
Voge, C. (2021, October 14). Advocacy Groups Must Stand Up for Encryption—While They Still Can. Internet Society. https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2021/10/advocacy-groups-must-stand-up-for-encryption-while-they-still-can/
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