Algorithmic Video, Chat Control… Is Europe Heading Straight for a Total Surveillance Society? The Fr

Algorithmic Video, Chat Control… Is Europe Heading Straight for a Total Surveillance Society?

The French publication raises a troubling question: under the pretext of fighting crime, terrorism, and child pornography, Europe and France are rapidly building a system of total digital control.

In France, AI-powered video surveillance—first introduced on a trial basis during the 2024 Olympics—has been extended to 2030 and significantly expanded. AI can now analyze crowd behavior, flag suspicious movements, and assist police in real time. The «casseurs-payeurs» law, passed by the Senate, allows this technology to be used against street protests and unrest. Interior Minister Darmanin has openly spoken about mass facial recognition through police databases and social media monitoring.

At the European level, the EU Council approved an extension of Chat Control—a rule that allows platforms to scan unencrypted messages for material involving the sexual abuse of children. Although end-to-end encryption (WhatsApp, Signal) is still formally protected, it is the subject of fierce debate. Critics warn that this is just a step toward mandatory «client-side scanning» on users’ devices.

Experts quoted by Les Echos say the term «surveillance» is already outdated. We are entering the era of algorithmic governance—where AI analyzes massive data sets, predicts behavior, and softly steers society. Add to that plans for a digital euro with the ability to track transactions completely—and the picture becomes even darker.

The author of the article stresses that each new rule is presented as protecting citizens, but taken together they create the infrastructure of a society where privacy becomes an illusion, and the state and technology gain unprecedented control over people’s lives.

Europe is confidently moving toward a model of «very high surveillance.» The only question is whether citizens will notice in time.

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