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Newsletter #7—October 2025
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Eliminating privacy won't stop child abuse
Like the “war on drugs” or the “war on terror”, a “war on child abuse” has too often been used to justify authoritarian overreach. Governments across the world are expanding surveillance, weakening encryption, and curtailing freedoms under the guise of staunching the proliferation of sexual images and videos of children – but these measures don’t actually solve the problem.
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In Europe, the latest proposal for a “chat control” regulation put forward by the Danish presidency would require every internet-connected device to include government spyware, as easy to activate as Alexa or Siri. It would scan not only for known child sexual abuse material (CSAM) but also, in practice, would flag artwork, fan fiction, family photos and chats, relying on unreliable AI classifiers – which scientists warn can’t be implemented safely.
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In the UK, Apple faced legal action earlier this year after refusing to build a secret government backdoor into its devices, while the secure chat app Signal has indicated it would rather exit from the UK than comply with the government’s demand to weaken encryption. Globally, laws like the UK’s Online Safety Act, Australia’s under-16 social media ban, and an increasing number of US state laws are mandating age verification not just for porn sites, but also for platforms like Reddit and Discord. The result is the over-censorship of legal content as “harmful to minors”, or platforms like Bluesky shutting off service altogether in certain states.
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These restrictions are driving users underground. Since these laws took effect, virtual private network (VPN) usage has soared, as has usage of the privacy-centric Tor browser, which reached its highest level ever this year – nearly 20 million daily users, six times its long-term average. This surge is a warning sign. Tor was created by the US navy to counter authoritarian regimes when the “open Internet” was official US policy. Now, as western democracies restrict free communication online, they’re becoming the authoritarians Tor was designed to circumvent, while the Tor network becomes the new “open Internet”.
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In response to Tor’s growing popularity come proposals to defund or backdoor the browser to curb its misuse for CSAM distribution. But Tor’s entire value lies in its resistance to government surveillance. Backdooring it would destroy its core function. With that said, a massive expansion of Tor’s user base is not a net win for children, as it will only expand the underground market for illegal content.
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The alternative is for governments to step back. Allow anonymous internet use of mainstream platforms instead of driving new users to Tor. Let platforms continue the voluntary scanning they already do for real CSAM, without expanding mandates into artwork, fiction or consensual adult content. Recognize that keeping children safe online is ultimately a parental responsibility, not a pretext for Big Brother surveillance.
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This is an excerpt from an op-ed that was published by COSL in The Guardian on October 13. To continue reading the conclusion, click below.
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The Latest from Our Blog
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Stop State-Sanctioned Revictimization: An Open Letter to the Australian Parliament
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In 2016, Australian police ran a secret online operation that shocked the world.For eleven months, Task Force Argos controlled Childs Play, one of the largest child sexual abuse forums on the dark web. During that time, the police themselves uploaded and shared real child sexual abuse material as part of their undercover work. The Norwegian newspaper VG later uncovered the …
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Beyond the Filter: The Assassination of Charlie Kirk and the Censorship of Jimmy Kimmel
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Brandy and Jeremy unpack the political turmoil after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. They highlight the double standards in how violence is mourned across party lines and how Kirk’s death was used to justify sweeping crackdowns—from visa cancellations to labeling Antifa a terrorist group. The hosts then explore the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel after he mocked the right’s …
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Stop HB 4938: Michigan’s Attack on Free Expression
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The Michigan legislature is coming for your rights, and HB 4938, the so-called “Anticorruption of Public Morals Act,” is the weapon they are wielding. Introduced on September 11 by Rep. Josh Schriver and five Republican co-sponsors, this bill is far more than a “porn ban.” It is a direct assault on free speech, LGBTQ+ identity, and the open internet we …
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Spies, Cops, and Cyber-Cops: Defending Encryption
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At the Encryption Summit 2025: A Shield in Uncertain Times, the Global Encryption Coalition convened experts to examine how encryption supports both security and human rights.
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Moderator Mallory Knodel opened by challenging the idea that privacy and safety are in conflict. James A. Baker, former FBI General Counsel, described encryption as the foundation of modern infrastructure, protecting hospitals, financial systems, and communication networks. He noted that without encryption, the digital world simply would not function. Professor Alan Woodward emphasized that encryption is essential to cybersecurity and warned that government efforts to weaken it through backdoors or client-side scanning would endanger everyone.
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Woodward criticized what he called political “do-something-itis,” where officials rush to legislate after crises without considering technical realities. Baker agreed, urging policymakers to move beyond either-or thinking and to recognize that privacy and security depend on the same principles of trust and resilience.
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Knodel concluded that while debates over encryption will continue, genuine progress requires centering human rights, transparency, and technical integrity in policy. Protecting encryption, they agreed, protects people.
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Stop Police Complicity in Child Exploitation
From October 2016 to September 2017, Task Force Argos, the online child-exploitation unit of the Queensland Police Service, covertly took over the darknet child-sexual-abuse site Childs Play. During the roughly eleven-month period that they operated the site, the unit continued to publish child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in order to preserve the site’s cover and maintain credibility with its users. International bodies such as UNICEF and Amnesty International raised alarm: UNICEF described the approach as a “clear violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
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The fundamental question becomes: when does the goal of disrupting a criminal network justify the method of participation — even facilitation — of illicit material? Many human rights advocates argue that police distributing CSAM, albeit covertly, crosses a boundary that undermines the rights of children to protection from harm.
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The debate has now entered the Australian Parliament. The Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 (TOLA Bill), introduced in August 2025, would expand and formalise powers for law-enforcement to distribute CSAM in encrypted or hidden networks. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has reviewed the bill and recommended its passage without amendment.
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We don't believe that this is right, and invite you to join us in taking action to oppose this bill. The children in abuse photos and videos did not consent to that content being distributed, and it makes no difference to their revictimization that those who are doing so wear an official badge. Take action below to oppose Australia's TOLA Bill today.
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Membership/Community Officer
The Center for Online Safety and Liberty (COSL) is looking for a dynamic Membership & Community Officer to help grow our movement for digital freedom and online safety. This is a hands-on opportunity to engage with our supporters, build community across platforms, and drive meaningful change.
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As COSL’s Membership & Community Officer, you’ll be the friendly face welcoming new members, strengthening ties with our small donors, and expanding awareness of our initiatives—especially our Fan Refuge project, which fosters safer online spaces for fans and creators. You’ll manage memberships, plan engaging benefits, and connect with our supporters through personalized emails, newsletters, and social media campaigns.
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You’ll also take the lead in managing our Discord server and other community spaces, ensuring they remain active, inclusive, and inspiring.
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This is a chance to gain real experience in nonprofit membership growth and fundraising while working alongside passionate advocates for online safety and digital liberty. Your contributions will directly help COSL build a stronger, more connected community. Interested? Reach out today and be part of the movement to safeguard online freedom and safety!
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Support our work!
Pledging your monthly support for our work is the best way that you can support us, because it gives us the stability to plan ahead. You can pledge your support at three levels.
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