EU watchdog calls for ban on Israeli firm's spyware
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AMSTERDAM • The European Union's data protection watchdog called for a ban yesterday on the controversial spyware tool Pegasus, developed by Israeli-based NSO Group.
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) said use of Pegasus might lead to an "unprecedented level of intrusiveness, able to interfere with the most intimate aspects of our daily lives".
Israel has come under global pressure over allegations that Pegasus has been abused by some foreign client governments to spy on human rights activists, journalists and politicians.
NSO has said it could not confirm or deny any existing or potential customers for Pegasus. The firm said it does not operate the system once it is sold to governmental customers nor is it involved in any way in the system's operation.
"A ban on the development and the deployment of spyware with the capability of Pegasus in the EU would be the most effective option to protect our fundamental rights and freedoms," the EDPS said.
A probe published last year by 17 media groups said the spyware had been used in attempted and successful hacks of smartphones belonging to journalists, government officials and human rights activists on a global scale.
REUTERS
