The listings featured on this site are from companies from which this site receives compensation. This influences: Appearance, order, and manner in which these listings are presented.
Disclosure:
Professional Reviews

vpnMentor contains reviews that are written by our community reviewers. These take into consideration the reviewers’ independent and professional examination of the products/services.

Ownership

vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, ZenMate, Private Internet Access, and Intego, which may be reviewed on this website.

Affiliate Commissions Advertising

vpnMentor contains reviews that follow the strict reviewing standards, including ethical standards, that we have adopted. Such standards require that each review will take into consideration the independent, honest and professional examination of the reviewer. That being said, we may earn a commission when a user completes an action using our links, at no additional cost to them. On listicle pages, we rank vendors based on a system that prioritizes the reviewer’s examination of each service, but also considers feedback received from our readers and our commercial agreements with providers.

Reviews Guidelines

The reviews published on vpnMentor are written by community reviewers that examine the products according to our strict reviewing standards. Such standards ensure that each review prioritizes the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, and takes into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings we publish may also take into consideration the affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website.

Spain Advocates Encryption Ban, Leaked EU Document Reveals

Spain Advocates Encryption Ban, Leaked EU Document Reveals
Keira Waddell Published on 26th May 2023 Senior Writer

A leaked document obtained by WIRED reveals that Spain has been advocating for the ban of encryption for millions of people in the EU. The document, a survey conducted by the European Council, provides insights into the opinions of 20 EU Member States regarding encryption regulation and their support for scanning private messages for illegal content.

The proposed law aims to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material in Europe by requiring tech companies to scan their platforms for illegal material, including users' private messages. However, the proposal has faced criticism from experts in cryptography, technology, and privacy advocacy due to its potential impact on end-to-end encryption.

Among the EU states that provided opinions in the leaked document, the majority expressed support for some form of scanning encrypted messages. The strongest view was that of Spain, which stated that “it would be desirable to legislatively prevent EU-based service providers from implementing end-to-end encryption.”

The leaked document sheds light on the ongoing debate within the EU regarding the protection or weakening of end-to-end encrypted communication platforms like WhatsApp and Signal. It provides important insights into which countries will likely support a proposal that could significantly impact encryption and online privacy.

While some countries, such as Spain and Poland, expressed support for decrypting encrypted communications through legislation or court orders, others, like Germany, Finland, and Estonia, had significant concerns regarding the potential implications for national security, data protection rights, and innovation.

The document highlights the diverging views among EU member states regarding the balance between privacy and law enforcement access. Privacy advocates argue that weakening encryption would introduce vulnerabilities and compromise user privacy. In contrast, law enforcement advocates view encryption as an obstacle in investigating crimes, particularly those related to child sexual abuse.

Cybersecurity experts have also long warned that any attempts to create backdoors or decryption mechanisms would weaken overall encryption security and could be exploited by criminals or state actors.

As negotiations progress, member states will need to reach a consensus on the draft bill, considering the complex considerations surrounding encryption, privacy, and law enforcement needs.

About the Author

Keira is an experienced cybersecurity and tech writer dedicated to providing comprehensive insights on VPNs, online privacy, and internet censorship.