i2Coalition Joins Call to Protect Encryption, Privacy in New EU CSA Regulations

The Internet Infrastructure Industry Coalition (i2Coalition) is committed to making the Internet a safe place—especially when it comes to preventing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from proliferating online. We also work to advance sensible policy that protects the rights of individuals and companies so that the Internet remains open as an engine for growth and innovation. We believe that both of these are possible.

That’s why we have joined 12 other tech industry and advocacy groups in a joint industry call to make targeted improvements to the proposed EU CSA Regulation that would protect encryption and limit detection orders as law enforcement organizations pursue the criminals who prey on children. This statement advises European lawmakers to make three key additions to the proposal for an EU regulation to combat child sexual abuse online.

The joint statement reads in part:

“[W]e believe certain improvements need to be introduced in the proposal for an EU Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (CSA Regulation) in order to achieve a legislative framework that recognises our industry’s efforts to safeguard children and one that better ensures the prosecution of perpetrators.”

The three key changes we suggest:

1. Defend the rights to privacy and confidentiality of communications through the specific protection of encryption;
2. Make sure that detection orders are a last resort measure; 
3. Limit detection orders to those with the ability to act.

You can read the full text of the joint statement here.

About the i2Coalition
The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (“i2Coalition”) ensures that those who build the infrastructure of the Internet have a voice in public policy. With more than 100 member brands, we are a leading voice for web hosting companies, data centers, domain registrars and registries, cloud infrastructure providers, managed services providers, and related tech. We protect innovation and the continued growth of the Internet’s infrastructure which is essential to the global economy.