ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER Naftali Bennett has opened a Pandora’s box with his recent decision to hold a nationwide inquiry into the illegal use of the Pegasus spyware by the police. Bennett’s move is significant because this is the first time Israel has officially acknowledged that the spyware— manufactured by the Herzliya-based NSO Group and sold to governments around the world—could have been misused.
In India, a Supreme Court-appointed committee has been examining allegations that Pegasus was used to snoop on 400 citizens. Around the world, more than 50,000 people have reportedly been unlawfully targeted with the help of the spyware.
Calls for speedy justice have been growing in countries where governments have been accused of employing Pegasus. In India, concerns include the size of the potentially vulnerable population and the decades-old surveillance laws that are ineffective in blocking invasive technologies.
This story is from the February 27, 2022 edition of THE WEEK.
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This story is from the February 27, 2022 edition of THE WEEK.
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