Last year, it emerged that the Israeli-developed Pegasus spyware has been used by national governments within Europe to snoop on activists, journalists and politicians, in what was a clear breach of privacy principles.
Originally designed to combat terrorism, Pegasus has since been used to hack into phones, listen to conversations and download photos of everyday people. Heads of state and military officials have also been targeted.
This week, the European data protection supervisor (EDPS) - the EU’s cyber watchdog - said that Pegasus should be banned because it is “incompatible with our democratic values”, given its ability to spy undetected through smartphone cameras, microphones and so on.
“The mounting evidence shows that highly advanced military grade spyware like Pegasus has the potential to cause unprecedented risks and damages not only to the fundamental freedoms but also to democracy and the rule of law,” the EDPS report warns.
It adds that a...