> This looks like a scare-story.
Let's hope you are right. The EU has a funny history of beating through brain-dead policies. The current EU commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, is known as "Zensursula" (a portemanteau of "censorship" and her given name) in Germany because she attempted to install essentially the Chinese Firewall for Germany (complete with Stop signs) when she was still doing politics here.
> Firstly, the EU produces directives and regulations; it doesn't produce "laws".
A regulation is technically a law, as it is immediately binding in all EU countries. Directives are quasilaws, as local governments are forced to make them into local laws.
> Secondly, the phrase "child pornography" is in quotes, as if there's no such thing. There is such a thing.
Of course there is. But we have seen again and again that this phrase is being used by wannabe dictators to justify massive limitations of human rights for everyone.
> If that were the proposal, then surely that's what should be in the headline?
Just you wait, right now, very few people know what is in that draft. I'm willing to put money to the fact that it essentially outlaws E2E encryption (and, if we are unlucky, not "only" for messengers - which may be deliberate or by ignorance).