#Top Cross Platform App Development Company

[protonshubtechno]

Top Mobile App Development Company | Protonshub Technologies

Transform your business with the help of a top app development company in the USA. Protonshub Technologies is the best mobile app development company, and they build your app on time and provide updated features in the mobile app. Contact digital@protonshub.com to share your idea and transform it into reality.

[innovativesolution]

Mobile App Development Company in USA | Protonshub Technologies

Are you looking for the best mobile app development company in the USA? Look no further. We have Protonshub Technologies, which is the top app development company in the USA. They have multiple apps for different sectors. Contact: digital@protonshub.com to get creative mobile apps now!

[flutteragency]

In this podcast reach iOS & Android with one codebase! Hire top Flutter developers for cost-effective, time-saving cross-platform app development. Enhanced UX, future-proofed apps. Get a quote today!

[hybridappbuilder]

Elevate Your React Native Ambitions with Assurance 🚀

🌟 Discover the Top 5 App Development Companies in the USA to Make Your Vision Soar!

[starvikstudio]

https://starvikstudio.com/cross-platform-app-development-frameworks/

Discover the top 10 cross-platform app development frameworks for 2023 that allow you to build high-quality mobile applications for multiple.

[rdglobalincsblog]

Why Invest in Custom Mobile App Development Services?

Mobile app development is an excellent investment for businesses looking to reach more customers and increase brand visibility. It provides customers with quick and easy access to services, products, and more, resulting in improved loyalty and a stronger brand reputation. By investing in services from a custom mobile app development company, businesses can provide customers with a better user experience and improved customer service, as well as introduce new features, products, services, and promotions. Through mobile apps, businesses can understand customers’ needs and preferences, resulting in more tailored solutions. 

Mobile applications are becoming increasingly important for businesses, as they provide customers with easy access to products and services, build stronger relationships with customers, and provide many functions. Custom mobile applications can be tailored to suit business needs, such as shopping apps, social media apps, online gaming apps, food delivery apps, mobile payment apps, and educational apps.     Cross-platform mobile app development is cost-effective because it involves developing an app that functions well across multiple platforms, including Android and iOS. These apps can help businesses provide customers with educational materials and provide up-to-date information about their services.    For businesses looking to invest in mobile app development, RD Global is a great choice.   https://www.rdglobalinc.com/why-invest-in-custom-mobile-app-development-services/   we offer a comprehensive approach to building apps that exceeds industry standards. 

Choose RD Global for your custom mobile app development needs and experience a comprehensive approach that exceeds industry standards.     Fill out the form at https://www.rdglobalinc.com/contact/ for a complimentary consultation and let us create the perfect app for your business. 

[corusview-it-services]

Transforming Digital Landscapes: The Excellence of Corusview IT Services.

In today's fast-paced digital world, having a reliable and innovative technology partner is crucial for businesses aiming to stay ahead. Corusview IT Services, a leading web development company, stands out by offering top-tier software, web and mobile application development services. With a commitment to quality, reliability, and global reach, Corusview IT Services ensures that clients receive exceptional value for their investments.

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, businesses often face a myriad of challenges when it comes to web, mobile, and software development. Navigating these hurdles can be daunting, but the right technology partner can turn these challenges into opportunities.

Common challenges in Digital development:

Complexity and integration challenges

Web Development: Building dynamic, responsive, and user-friendly websites that effortlessly integrate with existing systems can be quite intricate.

Mobile Development: Creating mobile applications that function seamlessly across various devices and platforms while delivering an excellent user experience poses a significant challenge.

Software Development: Developing custom software solutions that need to integrate with multiple other applications and databases often results in compatibility issues.

Staying current with technology

The fast-paced nature of technological advancements makes it challenging for businesses to remain up-to-date with the latest trends and tools.

Ensuring digital solutions are scalable and future-proof demands continuous investment and specialized expertise.

User experience and design

Developing an intuitive and engaging user experience is essential for the success of any digital product.

Subpar design and usability can result in low user engagement and satisfaction.

Security and compliance

Maintaining the security of digital solutions and adhering to regulatory requirements is a critical concern. Data breaches and security vulnerabilities can have significant consequences for businesses.

How Corusview IT Services can assist:

Corusview IT Services provides a broad range of solutions specifically crafted to tackle these challenges and support businesses in thriving within the digital landscape.

Expert web development

Custom web development: Tailored solutions crafted to fit your unique business requirements.

Content Management Systems (CMS): User-friendly systems that simplify website updates and maintenance.

Cutting-Edge Mobile App Development

Mobile App Creation: Bespoke apps designed to meet the needs of diverse industries.

Cross-Platform Solutions: Strategies that extend your app’s reach and boost its effectiveness across different platforms.

Ongoing Updates and Support: Regular enhancements and maintenance to keep your app fresh, secure, and up-to-date.

User-centric designs

UX and UI Innovation: Creating immersive and visually appealing designs tailored to enhance user interaction.

Prototyping and Usability Testing: Developing and refining prototypes to ensure optimal functionality and user satisfaction.

Ongoing Enhancement: Continuously evolving designs based on user feedback to maintain relevance and effectiveness.

Pioneering Technology and Innovation

Forefront of technological advancements, embracing the latest innovations to deliver state-of-the-art solutions.

Cutting-edge technology ensures your digital products are not only scalable and future-ready but also perfectly in tune with the latest market trends.

Rigorous Quality Assurance:

Implementing comprehensive quality assurance processes to ensure that every solution meets the highest standards of performance and reliability.

At Corusview IT Services, we’re dedicated to helping businesses tackle digital development challenges and achieve their ambitions. Whether you need a cutting-edge website, a bespoke software solution, or a trailblazing mobile app, our skilled team is here to provide top-notch results.

Elevate your digital game with us and witness the transformative power of our solutions. Learn more about how we can boost your company’s digital presence by visiting www.corusview.com.

[protonshubtechno]

Mobile App Development Company in USA | Protonshub Technologies by protonshub Technologies Via Flickr: Are you looking for the best mobile app development company in the USA? Look no further. We have Protonshub Technologies, which is the top app development company in the USA. They have multiple apps for different sectors. Contact: digital@protonshub.com to get creative mobile apps now! www.protonshub.com/services/mobile-application-developmen...

[coderower]

The Future of Software Development: Top Trends to Watch in 2024

Introduction:

The field of technology is always changing, but software creation is still at the cutting edge of brand-new ideas. As 2024 approaches, the trends that will shape the future of software development become more apparent. These trends will bring both exciting possibilities and challenges for businesses and workers. This blog post will talk about the most important trends to keep an eye on in 2024, covering everything from cloud-based solutions to custom software creation.

1. Custom Software Development

Custom software development is still an important part of modern businesses because it lets them make solutions that fit their exact needs. In 2024, we expect a huge increase in the need for unique software solutions as companies try to stand out in very competitive markets. Custom software development is the most adaptable and adjustable way to improve customer experiences or streamline internal processes.

2. Software Development Services

People are still looking for software development services because they need help and professionals to make cutting-edge apps. Outsourcing software development has become a smart choice for many companies, from startups to large corporations, that want to cut down on development time and time to market.

3. Mobile App Development

Since smartphones and other mobile devices are becoming more popular, companies that want to connect with customers while they’re on the go still put a lot of emphasis on mobile app development. We think 2024 will be a big year for user-centred design and making new technologies like augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) work well.

4. Developers of Web Applications

Developers of Web applications are moving toward making experiences that are more engaging and flexible. Progressive web apps (PWAs) and single-page apps (SPAs) will likely become popular in 2024 as companies try to make the web faster and more interesting on all devices.

5. Cross-device App Development

Making apps that work on multiple devices without any problems is possible with cross-platform app development, which has become more popular in recent years. By 2024, cross-platform tools like React Native and Flutter should have even better features, allowing developers to reach more people with less work.

6. Full-Stack Development

As of now, workers who are skilled in both front-end and back-end platforms are in high demand for full-stack development. They are seen as versatile and knowledgeable. There will be a greater need for full-stack coders who can offer complete solutions in 2024, so training and upskilling programs will be a big focus.

7. Web Design and Development

Web design and programming are very important for shaping the user experience and getting people to interact with your site. We expect to see a move toward simple and easy-to-use designs in 2024, with an emphasis on making things accessible and open to everyone. The digital world will also continue to change as new design trends like dark mode and neomorphism become more popular.

8. Cloud-Based Solutions

Modern infrastructure is built around cloud-based solutions, which are scalable, reliable, and cost-effective. We think that there will be even more movement toward cloud-native designs in 2024, with a focus on serverless computing and containerization. Multi-cloud and mixed-cloud methods are also becoming more popular, which will give companies more freedom and stability.

9. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) techniques have changed the way software is developed by making it possible for teams to make code changes quickly and accurately. We expect a lot of people to use CI/CD processes in 2024, with a focus on automation, teamwork, and feedback loops. Employing CI/CD in their work processes can help companies release software more quickly and with higher quality.

10. Software testing and product testing

Software testing is still an important part of the development process because it makes sure that apps work as planned and meet quality standards. Automated testing systems and AI-driven testing tools will become more popular in 2024, making it easier for coders to find problems and fix them. For the whole development process, using shift-left testing methods will also help build a mindset of quality.

11. Custom Web App Development

When businesses hire custom web app developers, they want solutions that are made just for them and the problems and chances in their fields. Custom web apps are flexible, safe, and quick, and they can be used to make management systems inside the company or sites for customers. It’s going to be very popular to have custom web apps made in 2024 because companies will want to stay ahead of the competition and focus on digital change projects.

12. Web Solutions

Many tools and services can be used to make web experiences that are live and engaging. Web tools, like e-commerce platforms and content management systems, help companies connect with customers, run their businesses, and grow. Developer tools, content management systems, and hosting services are likely to keep getting better in 2024, which will allow businesses to make web apps that are strong and flexible.

13. Develop Mobile Apps

Mobile apps are now essential for companies that want to reach people while they’re on the go and make the user experience better. Native mobile app development will be a big deal in 2024. To make sure users have a smooth and fast experience, developers will use platform-specific features and functions. Additionally, makers will be able to make new, feature-packed mobile apps by combining cutting-edge technologies like machine learning and blockchain.

14. App Development

The process of making apps for different devices, like phones, the web, and computers, is called app development. We expect a coming together of technologies and methods in 2024, which will make it easy for coders to make apps that work on multiple platforms. With the rise of low-code and no-code development platforms, companies can speed up the process of making apps and give regular people the tools they need to help make new solutions.

15. Emerging Technologies

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), bitcoin, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are just a few of the new technologies that will drastically change the way software is made in 2024. These technologies could completely change businesses, make tasks easier to do, and generate new ideas in all areas. AI and ML will be used more for predictive analytics, personalized experiences, and automating regular chores in 2024. Similarly, blockchain technology will keep shaking up old ways of doing business by making deals safe and clear, while IoT devices will make it easier to connect and gain insights from data.

16. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Development

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have become powerful tools that could change many fields, from fun and games to education and healthcare. Hardware, software, and content creation tools will get better in 2024, which will lead to a lot of new AR and VR releases. AR and VR will be used more and more by businesses to make events more engaging, improve training programs, and connect with customers in fresh new ways.

17. Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI and ML are going to be very important in the future of software development, allowing smart automation, predictive analytics, and customized experiences. We expect to see more AI and ML built into software in 2024, as companies use data to make better decisions and run their businesses more efficiently. AI and ML will continue to change how software is made, used, and implemented, from robots and virtual helpers to recommendation engines and systems that look for scams.

18. Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a big change in the way computers work. It can do processing that has never been seen before and could help solve hard problems that regular computers can’t. Future progress in quantum computing is expected to continue in 2024. This will have effects on software development in areas like security, optimization, and science modelling. Quantum computing isn’t being used by most people yet, but developers and businesses are starting to look into how it could be used and what it means for the future of software development.

19. Edge Computing

The rise of edge computing has made it possible for real-time processing and low-latency apps. Edge computing brings computer power closer to where the data is created. Edge computer technologies are likely to become more popular in 2024, especially in fields like IoT, manufacturing, and self-driving cars. Edge computing is an important part of the future of software development because it processes data closer to where it is created. This means that decisions can be made faster, bandwidth is used less, and dependability is improved.

20. DevOps and DevSecOps Practices

DevOps and DevSecOps practices are becoming more popular in software development because they help teams simplify processes, speed up delivery, and make security better. Further use of DevOps and DevSecOps methods is expected in 2024, due to the need for more cooperation, automation, and flexibility. DevOps and DevSecOps allow teams to create high-quality software faster and more safely by combining development, operations, and security into a single process. This meets the needs of today’s digital world, which is changing quickly.

21. Data Privacy and Security

Businesses and customers both care a lot about data privacy and security. Strong security measures are needed because of rising online risks and laws. Data protection and security will still be important in software development in 2024, with a focus on encryption, identification, and compliance. Developers will be very important in keeping private data safe and defence against new threats. They will do things like secure code, security testing, and vulnerability evaluations.

22. Low-Code and No-Code Development Platforms

Low-code and no-code development platforms have made software creation more accessible to everyone, letting business users and citizen coders make apps without needing to know a lot about coding. As businesses try to speed up their digital transformation efforts and meet the growing demand for custom software solutions, we expect the low-code and no-code market to continue to grow in 2024. Low-code and no-code systems help businesses quickly adapt to changing customer wants and market conditions by hiding complexity and cutting down on development time.

23. Ethics and Responsible AI

As AI and ML become more common, people are becoming more aware of the moral and social effects they can have. We think that ethics and responsible AI will get more attention in software development in 2024. Developers and companies will take more steps to make sure that AI-driven systems are fair, open, and accountable. Researchers will have to think about how their work affects other people and put ethics first throughout the whole development process. This includes methods to reduce bias and ethical AI models and standards.

24. Remote Collaboration and Distributed Teams

The move to working from home has completely changed how teams work together and talk to each other. In software development, distributed teams are now the rule. As companies get used to mixed work models and see the benefits of remote work, we expect them to put more money into tools and platforms for online teamwork in 2024. With tools like virtual whiteboarding, videoconferencing, project management, and version control, online collaboration platforms make it easy for teams to work together even when they are in different places. This encourages creativity, innovation, and efficiency.

25. Diversity and Inclusion in Tech

Inclusion and diversity have become very important issues in the tech industry, as more people realize how important different points of view and experiences are for fostering creativity and innovation. We expect that more will be done in 2024 to support diversity and inclusion in software development. For example, mentoring programs, diversity training, and hiring methods that are open to everyone will be given top priority by companies. Businesses can get the most out of their teams and encourage an atmosphere of innovation and success by making the workplace more fair and open to everyone.

In conclusion:

In 2024, the future of software development will be marked by new ideas, quick changes, and a never-ending quest for perfection. To stay competitive in today’s digital world, businesses and workers need to keep up with the latest trends and changes in everything from new technologies like AI and quantum computing to well-known practices like DevOps and data security. Software engineers can change the future of technology for years to come by being open to change, encouraging teamwork, and putting ethics and fairness first.

[mariacallous]

An investigation uncovers a web of influence in the powerful coalition aligned behind the European Commission’s proposal to scan for child sexual abuse material online, a proposal leading experts say puts rights at risk and will introduce new vulnerabilities by undermining encryption.

In early May 2022, days before she launched one of the most contentious legislative proposals Brussels had seen in years, the European Union’s home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, sent a letter to a US organisation co-founded in 2012 by the movie stars Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore.

The organisation, Thorn, develops artificial intelligence tools to scan for child sexual abuse images online, and Johansson’s proposed regulation is designed to fight the spread of such content on messaging apps.

“We have shared many moments on the journey to this proposal,” the Swedish politician wrote, according to a copy of the letter addressed to Thorn executive director Julie Cordua and which BIRN has seen.

Johansson urged Cordua to continue the campaign to get it passed: “Now I am looking to you to help make sure that this launch is a successful one.”

That campaign faces a major test in October when Johansson’s proposal is put to a vote in the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament. It has already been the subject of heated debate.

The regulation would obligate digital platforms – from Facebook to Telegram, Signal to Snapchat, TikTok to clouds and online gaming websites – to detect and report any trace of child sexual abuse material, CSAM, on their systems and in their users’ private chats.

It would introduce a complex legal architecture reliant on AI tools for detecting images, videos and speech – so-called ‘client-side scanning’ – containing sexual abuse against minors and attempts to groom children.

Welcomed by some child welfare organisations, the regulation has nevertheless been met with alarm from privacy advocates and tech specialists who say it will unleash a massive new surveillance system and threaten the use of end-to-end encryption, currently the ultimate way to secure digital communications from prying eyes.

The EU’s top data protection watchdog, Wojciech Wiewiorowski, warned Johansson about the risks in 2020, when she informed him of her plans.

They amount to “crossing the Rubicon” in terms of the mass surveillance of EU citizens, he said in an interview for this story. It “would fundamentally change the internet and digital communication as we know it.”

Johansson, however, has not blinked. “The privacy advocates sound very loud,” the commissioner said in a speech in November 2021. “But someone must also speak for the children.”

Based on dozens of interviews, leaked documents and insight into the Commission’s internal deliberations, this investigation connects the dots between the key actors bankrolling and organising the advocacy campaign in favour of Johansson’s proposal and their direct links with the commissioner and her cabinet.

It’s a synthesis that granted certain stakeholders, AI firms and advocacy groups – which enjoy significant financial backing – a questionable level of influence over the crafting of EU policy.

The proposed regulation is excessively “influenced by companies pretending to be NGOs but acting more like tech companies”, said Arda Gerkens, former director of Europe’s oldest hotline for reporting online CSAM.

“Groups like Thorn use everything they can to put this legislation forward, not just because they feel that this is the way forward to combat child sexual abuse, but also because they have a commercial interest in doing so.”

If the regulation undermines encryption, it risks introducing new vulnerabilities, critics argue. “Who will benefit from the legislation?” Gerkens asked. “Not the children.”

Privacy assurances ‘deeply misleading’

Star of That ‘70s Show and a host of Hollywood hits, 45-year-old Kutcher resigned as chairman of the Thorn board in mid-September amid uproar over a letter he wrote to a judge in support of convicted rapist and fellow That ‘70s Show actor Danny Masterson, prior to his sentencing.

Up until that moment, however, Kutcher had for years been the very recognisable face of a campaign to rid the Internet of CSAM, a role that involved considerable access to the top brass in Brussels.

Thorn’s declarations to the EU transparency register lists meetings with senior members of the cabinets of top Commission officials with a say in the bloc’s security or digital policy, including Johansson, antitrust czar Margrethe Vestager, Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, and internal market commissioner Thierry Breton.

In November 2020, it was the turn of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was part of a video conference with Kutcher and an organisation registered in the small Dutch town of Lisse – the WeProtect Global Alliance.

Though registered in the EU lobby database as a charity, Thorn sells its AI tools on the market for a profit; since 2018, the US Department of Homeland Security, for example, has purchased software licences from Thorn for a total of $4.3 million.

These tools are used by companies such as Vimeo, Flickr and OpenAI – the creator of chatbot ChatGPT and one of many beneficiaries of Kutcher’s IT investments – and by law enforcement agencies across the globe.

In November 2022, Kutcher and Johansson lined up as key speakers at a summit organised and moderated by then European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili, who three weeks later was arrested and deposed over an investigation into the ‘Qatargate’ cash-for-lobbying scandal.

In March this year, six months before his resignation amid uproar over his letter of support for Masterson, Kutcher addressed lawmakers in Brussels, seeking to appease concerns about the possible misuse and shortcomings of the existing technology. Technology can scan for suspicious material without violating privacy, he said, a claim that the European Digital Rights association said was “deeply misleading”.

The Commission has been reluctant to detail the relationship between Thorn and Johansson’s cabinet under the EU’s freedom of information mechanism. It refused to disclose Cordua’s emailed response to Johansson’s May 2022 letter or a ‘policy one pager’ Thorn had shared with her cabinet, citing Thorn’s position that “the disclosure of the information contained therein would undermine the organisation’s commercial interest”.

After seven months of communication concerning access to documents and the intervention of the European Ombudsman, in early September the Commission finally released a series of email exchanges between Johansson’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs and Thorn.

The emails reveal a continuous and close working relationship between the two sides in the months following the roll out of the CSAM proposal, with the Commission repeatedly facilitating Thorn’s access to crucial decision-making venues attended by ministers and representatives of EU member states.

The European Ombudsman is looking into the Commission’s refusal to grant access to a host of other internal documents pertaining to Johansson’s proposal.

FGS Global, a major lobbying firm hired by Thorn and paid at least 600,000 euros in 2022 alone, said Thorn would not comment for this story. Johansson also did not respond to an interview request.

Enter ‘WeProtect Global Alliance’

Among the few traces of Thorn’s activities in the EU’s lobby transparency register is a contribution of 219,000 euros in 2021 to the WeProtect Global Alliance, the organisation that had a video conference with Kutcher and Von der Leyen in late 2020.

WeProtect is the offspring of two governmental initiatives – one co-founded by the Commission and the United States, the other by Britain.

They merged in 2016 and, in April 2020, as momentum built for legislation to CSAM with client-side scanning technology, WeProtect was transformed from a British government-funded entity into a putatively independent ‘foundation’ registered at a residential address in Lisse, on the Dutch North Sea coast.

Its membership includes powerful security agencies, a host of governments, Big Tech managers, NGOs, and one of Johansson’s most senior cabinet officials, Antonio Labrador Jimenez, who heads the Commission’s team tasked with fighting CSAM.

Minutes after the proposed regulation was unveiled in May last year, Labrador Jimenez emailed his Commission colleagues: “The EU does not accept that children cannot be protected and become casualties of policies that put any other values or rights above their protection, whatever these may be.”

He said he was looking forward to “seeing many of you in Brussels during the WeProtect Global Alliance summit” the following month.

Labrador Jimenez officially joined the WeProtect Policy Board in July 2020, after the Commission decided to join and fund it as “the central organisation for coordinating and streamlining global efforts and regulatory improvements” in the fight against CSAM. WeProtect public documents, however, show Labrador Jimenez participating in WeProtect board meetings in December 2019.

Commenting on this story, the Commission said Labrador Jimenez “does not receive any kind of compensation for his participation in the WeProtect Global Alliance Management Board, and performs this function as part of his duties at the Commission”.

Labrador Jimenez’s position on the WeProtect Board, however, raises questions about how the Commission uses its participation in the organisation to promote Johannson’s proposal.

When Labrador Jimenez briefed fellow WeProtect Board members about the proposed regulation in July 2022, notes from the meeting show that “the Board discussed the media strategy of the legislation”.

Labrador Jimenez has also played a central role in drafting and promoting Johansson’s regulation, the same proposal that WeProtect is actively campaigning for with EU funding. And next to him on the board sits Thorn’s Julie Cordua, as well as government officials from the US and Britain [the latter currently pursuing its own Online Safety Bill], Interpol, and United Arab Emirates colonel, Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, who chairs or participates in numerous international police task forces.

Between 2020 and 2023, Johansson’s Directorate-General awarded almost 1 million euros to WeProtect to organise the June 2022 summit in Brussels, which was dedicated to the fight against CSAM and activities to enhance law enforcement collaboration.

WeProtect did not reply directly to questions concerning its funding arrangements with the Commission or to what extent its advocacy strategies are shaped by the governments and stakeholders sitting on its policy board.

In a statement, it said it is led “by a multi-stakeholder Global Policy Board; members include representatives from countries, international and civil society organisations, and the technology industry.”

The financing

Another member of the WeProtect board alongside Labrador Jimenez is Douglas Griffiths, a former official of the US State Department and currently president of the Geneva-based Oak Foundation, a group of philanthropic organisations around the world providing grants “to make the world a safer, fairer, and more sustainable place to live”.

Oak Foundation has provided WeProtect with “generous support for strategic communications”, according to WeProtect financial statements from 2021.

From Oak Foundation’s annual financial reports, it is clear it has a long-term commitment to aiding NGOs tackling child abuse. It is also funding the closely linked network of civil society organisations and lobby groups promoting Johansson’s proposed regulation, many of which have helped build an umbrella entity called the European Child Sexual Abuse Legislation Advocacy Group, ECLAG.

ECLAG, which launched its website a few weeks after Johansson’s proposal was announced in May 2022, acts as a coordination platform for some of the most active organisations lobbying in favour of the CSAM legislation. Its steering committee includes Thorn and a host of well-known children’s rights organisations such as ECPAT, Eurochild, Missing Children Europe, Internet Watch Foundation, and Terre des Hommes.

Another member is Brave Movement, which came into being in April 2022, a month before’s Johansson’s regulation was rolled out, thanks to a $10.3 million contribution by the Oak Foundation to Together for Girls, a US-based non-profit that fights sexual violence against children.

Oak Foundation has also given to Thorn – $5 million in 2019. In 2020, it gave $250,000 to ECPAT to engage “policy makers to include children’s interests in revisions to the Digital Services Act and on the impact of end-to-end encryption” and a further $100,000 in support of efforts to end “the online child sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the digital space”. The same year it authorised a $990,000 grant to Eurochild, another NGO coalition that campaigns for children’s rights in Brussels.

In 2021, Oak Foundation gave Thorn a further $250,000 to enhance its coordinating role in Brussels with the aim of ensuring “that any legislative solutions and instruments coming from the EU build on and enhance the existing ecosystem of global actors working to protect children online”.

In 2022, the foundation granted ECPAT a three-year funding package of $2.79 million “to ensure that children’s rights are placed at the centre of digital policy processes in the European Union”. The WeProtect Global Alliance received $2.33 million, also for three years, “to bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organisations to develop policies and solutions that protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse online”.

In a response for this story, Oak Foundation said it does not “advocate for proposed legislation nor work on the details of those policy recommendations”.

It did not respond directly to questions concerning the implications of Johansson’s regulation on privacy rights. A spokesperson said the foundation supports organisations that “advocate for new policies, with a specific focus in the EU, US, and UK, where opportunities exist to establish precedent for other governments”.

‘Divide and conquer’

Brave Movement’s internal advocacy documents lay out a comprehensive strategy for utilising the voices of abuse survivors to leverage support for Johansson’s proposal in European capitals and, most importantly, within the European Parliament, while targeting prominent critics.

The organisation has enjoyed considerable access to Johansson. In late April 2022, it hosted the Commissioner in an online ‘Global Survivors Action Summit’ – a rare feat in the Brussels bubble for an organisation that was launched just weeks earlier.

An internal strategy document from November 2022 the same year leaves no doubts about the organisation’s role in rallying support for Johansson’s proposal.

“The main objective of the Brave Movement mobilisation around this proposed legislation is to see it passed and implemented throughout the EU,” it states.

“If this legislation is adopted, it will create a positive precedent for other countries… which we will invite to follow through with similar legislation.”

In April this year, the Brave Movement held an ‘Action Day’ outside the European Parliament, where a group of survivors of online child sexual abuse were gathered “to demand EU leaders be brave and act to protect millions of children at risk from the violence and trauma they faced”.

Johansson joined the photo-op.

Survivors of such abuse are key to the Brave Movement’s strategy of winning over influential MEPs.

“Once the EU Survivors taskforce is established and we are clear on the mobilised survivors, we will establish a list pairing responsible survivors with MEPs – we will ‘divide and conquer’ the MEPs by deploying in priority survivors from MEPs’ countries of origin,” its advocacy strategy reads.

Conservative Spanish MEP Javier Zarzalejos, the lead negotiator on the issue in the parliament, according to the Brave Movement strategy has called for “strong survivors’ mobilisation in key countries like Germany”.

Brave Movement’s links with the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs goes deeper still: its Europe campaign manager, Jessica Airey, worked on communications for the Directorate-General between October 2022 and February 2023, promoting Johansson’s regulation.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Airey worked “closely with the policy team who developed the [child sexual abuse imagery] legislation in D.4 [where Labrador Jimenez works] and partners like Thorn”.

She also “worked horizontally with MEPs, WeProtect Global Alliance, EPCAT”.

Asked about a possible conflict of interest in Airey’s work for Brave Movement on the same legislative file, the European Commission responded that Airey was appointed as a trainee and so no formal permission was required. It did say, however, that “trainees must maintain strict confidentiality regarding all knowledge acquired during training. Unauthorised disclosure of non-public documents or information is strictly prohibited, with this obligation extending beyond the training period.”

Brave Movement said it is “proud of the diverse alliances we have built and the expert team we have recruited, openly, to achieve our strategic goals”, pointing out that last year alone one online safety hotline received 32 million reports of child sexual abuse content.

Brave Movement has enlisted expert support: its advocacy strategy was drafted by UK consultancy firm Future Advocacy, while its ‘toolkit’, which aims to “build a beating drum of support for comprehensive legislation that protects children” in the EU, was drafted with the involvement of Purpose, a consultancy whose European branch is controlled by French Capgemini SE.

Purpose specialises in designing campaigns for UN agencies and global companies, using “public mobilisation and storytelling” to “shift policies and change public narratives”.

Beginning in 2022, the Oak Foundation gave Purpose grants worth $1.9 million to “help make the internet safer for children”.

Since April 2022, Purpose representatives have met regularly with ECLAG – the network of civil society groups and lobbyists – to refine a pan-European communications strategy.

Documents seen by this investigation also show they met with members of Johansson’s team.

A ‘BeBrave Europe Task Force’ meeting in January this year involved the ECLAG steering group, Purpose EU, Justice Initiative and Labrador Jimenez’s unit within the Directorate-General. In 2023 the foundation that launched the Justice Initiative, the Guido Fluri Foundation, received $416,667 from Oak Foundation.

The Commission, according to its own notes of the meeting, “recommended that when speaking with stakeholders of the negotiation, the organisations should not forget to convey a sense of urgency on the need to find an agreement on the legislation this year”.

This coordinated messaging resulted this year in a social media video featuring Johansson, Zarzalejos, and representatives of the organisations behind ECLAG promoting a petition in favour of her regulation.

Disproportionate infringement of rights

Some 200 kilometres north from Brussels, in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, a bright office on the edge of the city’s famous red light district marks the frontline of the fight to identify and remove CSAM in Europe.

‘Offlimits’, previously known as the Online Child Abuse Expertise Agency, or EOKM, is Europe’s oldest hotline for children and adults wanting to report abuse, whether happening behind closed doors or seen on video circulating online.

In 2022, its seven analysts processed 144,000 reports, and 60 per cent concerned illegal content. The hotline sends requests to remove the content to web hosting providers and, if the material is considered particularly serious, to the police and Interpol.

Offlimits director between 2015 and September this year, Arda Gerkens is deeply knowledgeable of EU policy on the matter. Yet unlike the likes of Thorn, she had little luck accessing Johansson.

“I invited her here but she never came,” said Gerkens, a former Socialist Party MP in the Dutch parliament.

“Commissioner Johansson and her staff visited Silicon Valley and big North American companies,” she said. Companies presenting themselves as NGOs but acting more like tech companies have influenced Johansson’s regulation, Gerkens said, arguing that Thorn and groups like it “have a commercial interest”.

Gerkens said that the fight against child abuse must be deeply improved and involve an all-encompassing approach that addresses welfare, education, and the need to protect the privacy of children, along with a “multi-stakeholder approach with the internet sector”.

“Encryption,” she said, “is key to protecting kids as well: predators hack accounts searching for images”.

It’s a position reflected in some of the concerns raised by the Dutch in ongoing negotiations on a compromise text at the EU Council, arguing in favour of a less intrusive approach that protects encrypted communication and addresses only material already identified and designated as CSAM by monitoring groups and authorities.

A Dutch government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The Netherlands has serious concerns with regard to the current proposals to detect unknown CSAM and address grooming, as current technologies lead to a high number of false positives.”

“The resulting infringement of fundamental rights is not proportionate.”

Self-interest

In June 2022, shortly after the roll out of Johansson’s proposal, Thorn representatives sat down with one of the commissioner’s cabinet staff, Monika Maglione. An internal report of the meeting, obtained for this investigation, notes that Thorn was interested to understand how “bottlenecks in the process that goes from risk assessment to detection order” would be dealt with.

Detection orders are a crucial component of the procedure set out within Johansson’s proposed regulation, determining the number of people to be surveilled and how often.

European Parliament sources say that in technical meetings, Zarzalejos, the rapporteur on the proposal, has argued in favour of detection orders that do not necessarily focus on individuals or groups of suspects, but are calibrated to allow scanning for suspicious content.

This, experts say, would unlock the door to the general monitoring of EU citizens, otherwise known as mass surveillance.

Asked to clarify his position, Zarzalejos’ office responded: “The file is currently being discussed closed-doors among the shadow rapporteurs and we are not making any comments so far”.

In the same meeting with Maglione, Thorn representatives expressed a “willingness to collaborate closely with COM [European Commission] and provide expertise whenever useful, in particular with respect to the creation of the database of indicators to be hosted by the EU Centre” as well as to prepare “communication material on online child sexual abuse”.

The EU Centre to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse, which would be created under Johansson’s proposal, would play a key role in helping member states and companies implement the legislation; it would also vet and approve scanning technologies, as well as purchase and offer them to small and medium companies.

As a producer of such scanning technologies, a role for Thorn in supporting the capacity building of the EU Centre database would be of significant commercial interest to the company.

Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal Foundation, the US non-for-profit foundation behind the Signal encrypted chat application, says that AI companies that produce scanning systems are effectively promoting themselves as clearing houses and a liability buffer for big tech companies, sensing the market potential.

“The more they frame this as a huge problem in the public discourse and to regulators, the more they incentivise large tech companies to outsource their dealing of the problems to them,” Whittaker said in an interview for this story.

Effectively, such AI firms are offering tech companies a “get out of responsibility free card”, Whittaker said, by telling them, “’You pay us (…) and we will host the hashes, we will maintain the AI system, we will do whatever it is to magically clean up this problem”.

“So it’s very clear that whatever their incorporation status is, that they are self-interested in promoting child exploitation as a problem that happens “online,” and then proposing quick (and profitable) technical solutions as a remedy to what is in reality a deep social and cultural problem. (…) I don’t think governments understand just how expensive and fallible these systems are, that we’re not looking at a one-time cost. We’re looking at hundreds of millions of dollars indefinitely due to the scale that this is being proposed at.”

Lack of scientific input

Johansson has dismissed the idea that the approach she advocates will unleash something new or extreme, telling MEPs last year that it was “totally false to say that with a new regulation there will be new possibilities for detection that don’t exist today”.

But experts question the science behind it.

Matthew Daniel Green, a cryptographer and security technologist at John Hopkins University, said there was an evident lack of scientific input into the crafting of her regulation.

“In the first impact assessment of the EU Commission there was almost no outside scientific input and that’s really amazing since Europe has a terrific scientific infrastructure, with the top researchers in cryptography and computer security all over the world,” Green said.

AI-driven scanning technology, he warned, risks exposing digital platforms to malicious attacks and would undermine encryption.

“If you touch upon built-in encryption models, then you introduce vulnerabilities,” he said. “The idea that we are going to be able to have encrypted conversations like ours is totally incompatible with these scanning automated systems, and that’s by design.”

In a blow to the advocates of AI-driven CSAM scanning, US tech giant Apple said in late August that it is impossible to implement CSAM-scanning while preserving the privacy and security of digital communications. The same month, UK officials privately admitted to tech companies that there is no existing technology able to scan end-to-end encrypted messages without undermining users’ privacy.

According to research by Imperial College academics Ana-Maria Cretu and Shubham Jain, published last May, AI driven Client Side Scanning systems could be quietly tweaked to perform facial recognition on user devices without the user’s knowledge. They warned of more vulnerabilities that have yet to be identified.

“Once this technology is rolled out to billions of devices across the world, you can’t take it back”, they said.

Law enforcement agencies are already considering the possibilities it offers.

In July 2022, the head of Johansson’s Directorate-General, Monique Pariat, visited Europol to discuss the contribution the EU police agency could make to the fight against CSAM, in a meeting attended by Europol executive director Catherine de Bolle.

Europol officials floated the idea of using the proposed EU Centre to scan for more than just CSAM, telling the Commission, “There are other crime areas that would benefit from detection”. According to the minutes, a Commission official “signalled understanding for the additional wishes” but “flagged the need to be realistic in terms of what could be expected, given the many sensitivities around the proposal.”

Ross Anderson, professor of Security Engineering at Cambridge University, said the debate around AI-driven scanning for CSAM has overlooked the potential for manipulation by law enforcement agencies.

“The security and intelligence community have always used issues that scare lawmakers, like children and terrorism, to undermine online privacy,” he said.

“We all know how this works, and come the next terrorist attack, no lawmaker will oppose the extension of scanning from child abuse to serious violent and political crimes.”

[softgentechnologies]

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