27-9-2025 – Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly opposed the European Union’s proposed Chat Control legislation, labeling it a significant risk to digital privacy, as stated in a post on X. The legislation, which mandates tech platforms to scan private messages for illegal content, has drawn criticism for undermining end-to-end encryption.
Buterin argued that creating surveillance backdoors for law enforcement compromises user security, as such systems are vulnerable to hacking. He highlighted the hypocrisy of EU officials, noting a leaked draft reported by EU Reporter that exempts interior ministers, intelligence, police, and military personnel from the scanning measures. Currently, 15 EU nations support the proposal, but it lacks the 65% population threshold needed for approval, with Germany’s vote being decisive.
Crypto advocates, including Diode CEO Hans Rempel and Brickken’s Elisenda Fabrega, warn that the law could push users toward decentralized Web3 platforms prioritizing privacy. Fabrega noted potential violations of EU Charter Articles 7 and 8, which safeguard private communications and data, while Rempel cited government data breach risks. The shift to Web3 could fragment the EU’s digital market, potentially weakening its global privacy influence.
