The Modernists, a governing party, have joined critics of a controversial European bill known as chat control, creating internal discord within the Danish government and its EU Presidency. The bill, officially called the CSA regulation, aims to combat the sharing of child sexual abuse material online.

Rasmus Lund-Nielsen, digitalization spokesman for the Modernists, stated that the bill opens the door for general scanning of citizens’ private communication, which is incompatible with fundamental rights in a free society. The party, which had previously supported the proposal, now believes it should be further considered due to the potential pitfalls.

The CSA regulation, proposed by the EU Commission in 2022, would require tech companies to scan images and videos on encrypted services for illegal content. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard maintains that the regulation is necessary to stop criminals who share sexually abusive material of children and that Denmark’s compromise proposal is much more targeted that the original proposal, only scanning images and videos.

Critics, including hundreds of researchers, experts, the Data Ethics Council, and tech giants, argue the bill violates fundamental freedoms and could lead to mass surveillance of EU citizens. Germany has already announced its opposition to the proposal.

Lund-Nielsen emphasized the Modernists’ support for combating the sharing of abusive material online but believes the Danish compromise proposal is not proportionate. He suggests authorities should instead have “strong and targeted tools” aimed at individuals under suspicion and with a court order.

Hummelgaard acknowledged the concerns raised and stated the government will continue working with member states to find a solution. He highlighted that millions of files depicting child sexual abuse are shared annually and that organizations like Save the Children and Children’s Welfare support the Danish compromise proposal.