Vitalik Buterin Criticizes EU’s Chat Control Legislation

Vitalik Buterin criticizes EU's 'Chat Control' law for threatening digital privacy.

The proposed EU legislation on ‘Chat Control’ threatens citizens’ rights to privacy in digital communications, according to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

Fight Chat Control.

You cannot make society secure by making people insecure.

We all deserve privacy and security, without inevitably hackable backdoors, for our private communications.

The fact that the government officials want to exempt themselves from their own law is… https://t.co/OY5NXyk58j

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) September 27, 2025

“You cannot make society secure by making people insecure. We all deserve privacy and security for our private communications without inevitably hackable backdoors,” he emphasized.

His message was a response to a post by entrepreneur Pieter Levels, who urged Europeans to oppose mandatory surveillance measures that would require tech platforms to scan private messages for illegal content. Levels warned that this would allow officials access to citizens’ private correspondence.

Buterin deemed the lawmakers’ behavior hypocritical, as they intend to exempt themselves from the regulations. According to EU Reporter, it is proposed that interior ministers exempt chats of intelligence, police, and military personnel, as well as their own correspondence, from scanning. The publication considers this clear evidence that officials understand any secrets, including defense-related ones, could end up in the hands of the US at any moment.

The bill has the support of 15 member states, while six oppose it. Experts note that the outcome of the vote will be determined by Germany’s position.

When governments legislate backdoors, privacy is the first casualty.

The EU’s “Chat Control” law would force platforms to scan private messages before encryption, essentially creating state-mandated backdoors.

Privacy experts warn this undermines Articles 7 & 8 of the EU… pic.twitter.com/UDAILhxbzz

— Onur 🍌🦍 (@0xc06) September 24, 2025

A trader known as Onur highlighted that the bill violates Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter.

“You know what’s ironic? In trying to enhance ‘security,’ lawmakers might accelerate the adoption of decentralized Web3 alternatives, where encryption and data sovereignty are already foundational,” he emphasized.

Back in April, Buterin described privacy as the foundation of personal freedom and decentralization, protecting society.