In an unprecedented move, the US has imposed sanctions on the manufacturers of the surveillance technology, “Predator” spyware. According to officials from the Biden administration, this spyware has notably been employed to target American officials and facilitate human rights abuses.
This event is noteworthy as it is the first time the US has issued sanctions against individuals and organizations implicated in the misuse of such spyware. Spyware can seize control of a phone or any other electronic device, even enabling access to microphone recordings and other types of data, and all without the device’s user clicking on any link.
Among the individuals targeted by these sanctions is Tal Dilian, a former operative of an Israeli intelligence agency. In 2019, Dilian founded Intellexa Consortium, a corporation known for providing spyware to repressive governments.
As events continue to unfold, this development once again shines a light on the discussions around technological surveillance and the ethical dilemmas it presents.