The EU initiative Going Dark has now been launched by the EU Commission. They call it ProtectEU. It’s a rebranding of Chat Control.

Its laughable that they talk about needing secure communication and security:

Our lives have become less secure, and this is increasingly felt by Europeans, whose perception of safety and security in the EU has been eroded to the point that, when asked about the future, 64 percent tend to be worried about the EU’s security.

Trust and secure handling are essential for information sharing, and this requires reliable and secure infrastructure

Investments in interoperable secure systems and reliable technology will reinforce the EU’s autonomy and strengthen the EU’s ability to manage crises and ensure operational resilience

And then making sure that there is no such thing as secure communication ever again.

the Commission will prioritise an assessment of the impact of data retention rules at EU level and the preparation of a Technology Roadmap on encryption, to identify and assess technological solutions that would enable law enforcement authorities to access encrypted data in a lawful manner, safeguarding cybersecurity and fundamental rights.

Basically, not a single person will have a right to any form of digital privacy. Any and all data is entirely open to being sucked up and harvested by whoever damn well pleases. If the good guys have keys to your encrypted data then anyone can have the keys to your encrypted data.

At the same time we are hearing that the EU wants to gut GDPR. So long as a company is 'small' who cares what they do.

Nothing will stop a bunch of tiny 'companies' all under some american monster or everyone at all involved in the advertising business can go on hoovering up and building whatever they like, whenever they damn well please.

All of this throws manure in the face of fundamental european freedoms:

Article 7: Respect for private and family life. Everyone has the right to respect for his or her private and family life, home and communications.

Article 8: Protection of personal data. Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her.

Can't wait for the good-guy-law-enforcement in a putin-loving hostile-to-EU-interests state decides they need my communications because I shared a meme of how much a sack of shit Orban is.