In the words of the European Union, the proliferation of images and videos of child sexual abuse, which has dramatically increased with the development of the digital world, allows for the creation of “solutions” where the control of all our digital activities is deemed acceptable.

Even though the harm suffered by the victims is infinite, and perpetrators have found new ways to access and exploit children and providers of hosting or interpersonal communication services through digital services, our privacy and intimacy are fundamental human rights.

Public authorities worldwide want us to believe that their surveillance policies represent responsible and careful behavior essential for a safe, predictable, and trustworthy online environment and the exercise of guaranteed fundamental rights. In the United Kingdom, government officials have expressed concerns for years that online services are not doing enough to combat illegal content, especially material related to child sexual abuse.

The “solution” was the Online Safety Bill, which aims to make the United Kingdom the safest place in the world for internet use. But don’t worry, this dreadful law doesn’t only affect the United Kingdom—it serves as a blueprint for oppression worldwide. Advocates of the law point to the worst online content such as terrorist posts and child abuse, but surveillance won’t stop there.

Companies will be compelled to monitor additional categories of content and exchange information about users between different countries. Journalists and human rights activists will inevitably become targets. And users will never be sure if their private messages are being read and intercepted by private companies.