Chat Control: These alternatives are available for companies
The planned EU regulation on "preventing and combating child sexual abuse" - better known as Chat Control - is about to be put to a decisive vote. On October 14, 2025, the EU Council plans to decide on Denmark's proposal, which provides for far-reaching monitoring measures.
Table of Contents
- What is Chat Control?
- Why chat control is dangerous
- Germany's position
- What does this mean for companies?
- The solution: secure, self-hosted communication
- Why self-hosted solutions?
- Act now: Protect your corporate communications
- Our services for your secure communication
- Conclusion: Digital sovereignty is not a luxury, but a necessity
- Get in touch with us
- Further Links and Sources
What is Chat Control?
Chat Control (officially: CSAR Regulation) is a proposed EU law that would oblige messaging services and email providers to scan all messages from their users for suspicious content. This concerns:
- WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and other messengers
- E-mail communication
- Cloud storage and file sharing
- Even encrypted communication is to be screened
The technical problem: client-side scanning
The proposed technology is called Client-Side Scanning (CSS). Messages and files are scanned directly on your device before they are encrypted and sent. This means that
- End-to-end encryption is effectively undermined
- A backdoor to all private data is created
- The security of all EU citizens is compromised
As Patrick Breyer, former EU parliamentarian for the Pirate Party, warns: "With demonstrably false claims, the Danish Council Presidency is trying to push through the controversial Chat Control 2.0."
Why chat control is dangerous
1. Undermining the encryption
The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) clarifies: Chat Control would "impose unrestricted access to private content and thus undermine end-to-end encryption."
2. Mass surveillance
Every message, every image, every file would be scanned - without suspicion, without a court order. This is mass surveillance without cause.
3. Technical uncertainty
Over 470 scientists from 34 countries have taken a stand against chat control. The technology is prone to errors and opens the door to abuse.
4. False Positives
Automated scans produce false hits. Vacation photos of your own children could be incorrectly marked.
Germany's position
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser declared on behalf of the German government:
"From Germany's perspective, measures to screen encrypted private communications and measures that break, weaken, circumvent or undermine end-to-end encryption must not be part of the proposed regulation."
Nevertheless, the danger has not been averted. The Danish Council Presidency is pressing ahead with the project.
What does this mean for companies?
Chat control would have disastrous consequences for companies:
- Company secrets could be compromised
- Confidential customer data would be at risk
- Compliance issues with GDPR and other data protection regulations
- Industrial espionage would open the floodgates
- Legal and medical confidentiality could no longer be guaranteed
The solution: secure, self-hosted communication
The best protection against chat control and other surveillance measures is digital sovereignty through self-hosted communication solutions. WZ-IT offers you professional implementation and operation of the following secure alternatives:
1. Matrix with element
Matrix is an open standard for secure, decentralized communication. With Element as a professional client, you get:
- ✅ Genuine end-to-end encryption without backdoors
- ✅ Federation between different servers
- ✅ Complete data sovereignty on your own infrastructure
- ✅ GDPR-compliant and auditable
- ✅ Voice & video calls encrypted
- ✅ Used by NATO, the German Armed Forces and the French government
2. Mattermost
Mattermost is the open source alternative to Slack and Microsoft Teams:
- ✅ Self-hosted on your infrastructure
- ✅ End-to-end encryption available
- ✅ Extensive integration into existing systems
- ✅ DevOps features and workflow automation
- ✅ GDPR-compliant without US cloud dependency
3. Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat offers a flexible communication platform:
- ✅ Omnichannel communication (chat, e-mail, social media)
- ✅ End-to-end encryption
- ✅ White label-capable with own branding
- ✅ LiveChat for customer service
- ✅ Federation between servers possible
4. Zulip
Zulip revolutionizes team communication with thread-based conversations:
- ✅ Topic-based organization instead of chronological chaos
- ✅ Asynchronous communication perfect for distributed teams
- ✅ Open source and transparent
- ✅ Mobile and desktop apps
- ✅ Powerful search across all messages
Why self-hosted solutions?
Complete control
You retain complete control over your data. No cloud providers, no third-party providers, no hidden access.
No back doors
Open source software is transparent and auditable. The code can be checked by experts - backdoors are ruled out.
GDPR-compliant
All data remains in Germany or your desired jurisdiction. No transfers to unsafe third countries.
Independence
No vendor lock-in, no dependence on US companies, no sudden price increases or service closures.
Act now: Protect your corporate communications
Chat control may not have been decided yet, but the development clearly shows that digital privacy is under attack. Companies that now rely on secure, self-hosted solutions are not only protected from chat control, but also from:
- Industrial espionage
- Data leaks
- Compliance violations
- Reputational damage
Our services for your secure communication
WZ-IT supports you in the implementation of secure communication solutions:
Consulting & conception
- Analysis of your communication requirements
- Selecting the optimal solution (Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip)
- Migration strategy for existing systems
Installation & Setup
- On-premise in your data center
- Private cloud on dedicated servers
- Hybrid solutions according to your requirements
- Integration into existing IT infrastructure (LDAP, SSO, etc.)
Operation & maintenance
- 24/7 monitoring
- Automatic backups
- Security updates
- Performance optimization
- SLA with guaranteed availability
Training & Support
- Employee training
- Admin training
- Documentation
- Personal contact person
Conclusion: Digital sovereignty is not a luxury, but a necessity
The Chat Control Regulation clearly shows that encryption and privacy can no longer be taken for granted. Companies that want to protect their communications must act now.
With self-hosted solutions such as Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat or Zulip, you not only secure your data, but also your independence and digital sovereignty.
"Privacy is not a crime - it is a fundamental right."
Get in touch with us
Would you like to secure your corporate communications? We will be happy to advise you on suitable solutions.
Arrange a free initial consultation
Further Links and Sources
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