The loopholes around spyware, by Eva Thiébaud (Le Monde diplomatique

Edward Snowden was the first to reveal the scale of mass surveillance in the US and UK, in 2013, with details of Internet eavesdropping operations and the collection of metadata from emails, texts and phone calls. Then in 2021 the Pegasus scandal showed the extent to which states — democratic or otherwise — use targeted surveillance software. The Israeli NSO Group and the states thought to be behind the eavesdropping operations face a growing number of lawsuits.

The Pegasus scandal also revealed loopholes in national and international law relating to the sale and purchase of surveillance tools. Unlike conventional weapons, these software programs and technologies are generally considered ‘dual-use items’ — meaning that they can be used for both civilian and military (…)

Full article: 364 words.