SenilDec 24
Mullvad VPN

The European Commission lost the Chat Control 2.0 battle over access to end-to-end encrypted data. By the summer 2026, they will be back with their next attempt: Going Dark. This time some EU member states want to include VPN services.

The Going Dark initiative, or ProtectEU as the Commission now calls it, wants to “enable law enforcement authorities to access encrypted data in a lawful manner”. This is a Chat Control 3.0 attempt.

Dec 18 at 8:47pmWeb
Show threadMullvad VPNDec 18
The EU Commission and several member states are also looking for new rules on data retention. In a new ”Presidency outcome paper”, the member states discuss metadata retention: which websites you visit, and who is communicating with whom, when and how often. The ambition is “to have the broadest possible scope of application” and this time some member states also want the proposal to include VPN services.
Show threadMullvad VPNDec 18

Mullvad has spent the last three years opposing Chat Control 2.0 – even though the law would have affected our business positively.

We will continue to fight Going Dark with full force, regardless of whether VPNs are included or not. If VPNs are included, and if Going Dark becomes law, we will never spy on our customers no matter what.

Show threadcDec 18
@mullvadnet So by 2030 we will have to fight chat control 8.0?
Show threadtoni / link Dec 18
@cina @mullvadnet as long as I breathe
Show threadMaxDec 18
@cina @mullvadnet Ha! At the current rate, 8.0 will land somewhere next month.
Show threadStephen GentleDec 19
@cina @mullvadnet That’s how the EC works!
Show threadamackifDec 18

@mullvadnet this is what doing the right thing means in real life.

Thank you

Show threadMugita SokioDec 19

@mullvadnet Boy are y'all getting clowned by politicians who clearly want you to do all kinds of nonsense.

I assume it's digital ID you want gone as well, despite it being quite impossible to impose.

Show threadMint_ShockDec 19
Saw your ad on German tv. Great to see you guys spreading awareness. (Though a bit weird to air a English language ad on German tv...)
Show threadTiKXIDec 23
@mullvadnet I just see city wide private wlans with powerful enough radio transmitters and paper shared QR keys to access the ring. And moder time operators going out of business.
Private content, private dns private everything on a village ad city level.
then some crypted gateways to another village/city private wlan network.
Show thread☃️karolherbst☃️Dec 24

@mullvadnet as a practical advise to community moderators, what's the guidance you'd give to people that have to deal with harassers that use e.g. your VPN service to get around blocks and constantly hide their identity?

Is there an official email address or other form of contact one can write to in order to get such accounts suspended, because that's obviously against any reasonable ToS of any reasonable VPN provider, isn't it?

Show threadToni AittoniemiDec 18

@mullvadnet They will never stop either. The yearning to control ”for safety” is a built-in bug of the authoritarian mind.

The other side of the desire to rule is the yearning to submit.

Show threadHexanolDec 18
@mullvadnet This is actually so sad, why is the EU focusing on spying on its own citizens instead of fighting against outside threats like Russia, China, and the US?
Show threadJ. "Henry" WaughDec 19

@hexanol I bet they would say it's to do exactly that

The (supposed) only way to spot all the Russian spies is to perform mass surveillance so you can "query" who is talking to this known Russian agent, as it could be anyone and you have no leads

It would *never* be used domestically *of course not* -- unless it was *really* important, we promise 🙄

The US and UK have been doing it for decades to defend their massive empires, and now they want one too

Show threadHexanolDec 19
@jhwgh1968 the most common argument I've heard is actually to "protect the children", but this probably makes sense in their heads as well
Show threadKarel 'Clock' K.Dec 19

@hexanol @mullvadnet Because governments are enemies of the people?

Q: What's the difference between a highwayman and a Western government?
A: A highwayman doesn't prevent you from buying an antibiotic ointment when your eczema gets infected and you are afraid it turns into sepsis and you die.

#humanrights

Show threadHexanolDec 19
@clock @mullvadnet I can't agree more. I am looking forward to the revolution just as much as any other anarchist. It still doesn't make any sense for them to implement these measures instead of actually preparing for a conflict with the other world powers. Unless they're all actually working together to divide and conquer the working class, which I wouldn't be surprised by.
Show threadDualtronicDec 19
@hexanol The state, by definition, fears one thing above all else: its own citizens.
Show threadTimDec 22
@hexanol @mullvadnet The people who want to do the spying have more in common with each other than with the people they spy on.
Show threadraspberryswirlDec 18
@mullvadnet i want names who is wasting my tax money
Show threadEmilio ʕ̡̢̡ʘ̅͟͜͡ʘ̲̅ʔ̢̡̢🇩🇰Dec 19
@mullvadnet @alice good job!
Show threadBig Kumera EnergyDec 19

@mullvadnet it's fucking math

You don't get different math just because you really want it

Politicians really don't have to expose their complete bullheaded ignorance over and over and over again with these proposals. They could accept that math is math.

Show threadHippo 🍉Dec 19
@mullvadnet what can I say. "Going Dark" is an appropriate name 😵‍💫
Show threadAvi     🟣Dec 19
@mullvadnet
Show threadmikkaDec 19
@mullvadnet just like in russia, hey. i ain't liking these tendencies in the world, wonder whether they'll succeed, though.
Show threadJargogglesDec 19

@mullvadnet
"enable law enforcement authorities to access encrypted data in a lawful manner"

What a wild way to say "it's currently illegal for us to spy on you like this, but we want to change that."

Show threadclang-enbyDec 19

@mullvadnet

Ah shit, here we go again

Show threadFDA approved  lycheeDec 19
@mullvadnet
This feels like one of those dialogs with buttons "yes" and "not now"
Show threadMisuse CaseDec 19
@mullvadnet The UK is considering outlawing VPNs and so are some state legislatures in America. The coordinated timing of all this is suspicious and almost certainly not coincidental.
Show threadno en am fro no wer lndDec 19
@mullvadnet
I think this is related:
https://mastodon.social/@nnmfnwl7/115747040759992883
Show threadfiguraDec 19
@mullvadnet do these people not have hobbies. cant they go learn woodworking or something. why are they so sad.
Show threadClaudio Zizza 🦜Dec 20
@mullvadnet It doesn't matter how often we'll win. They need to win just one time.
Show threadKevin Karhan Dec 21

@mullvadnet cyn we just finally get #ECHR to tell @EUCommission to stop #cyberfascist attacks on #HumanRight or get dissolved?

Show threadMarco AntoniottiDec 22
@mullvadnet better than DOGE and DoJ accessing data in ... mean and cruel ways. 🙄
Show threadJJDec 22
@mullvadnet
Show threadOriiyonDec 24
@mullvadnet chat control 2.0 was still won btw just not the encryption part, want to say this cause even without that part its bad. im sad.