Raffaele Angius is a journalist media innovation advisor based in Turin. He works togheter with Hermes Center for Transparency and Digital Human Rights, Facebook Tracking Exposed and Futura News. After a period as a free-lance journalist in Middle East he specialized in the design and deployment of ...

Italian spyware on the international market

10 Oct 2023  |  irpimedia.irpi.eu  |  Italian  |  Human Rights

The article discusses the proliferation and international market presence of Italian spyware companies, highlighting the risks and ethical concerns associated with their use. It details the involvement of various Italian firms in the spyware market, their international clients, and the regulatory challenges faced by authorities. The article also touches on the broader geopolitical implications of spyware technology, including calls for moratoriums and stricter regulations to protect human rights.

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Citizen Lab Parliamentary Committee PEGA Amnesty International FBI Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Ministry of Justice (Italy) United Nations

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Nithin Coca is a freelance journalist who focuses on social and economic issues in developing countries, and has specific expertise in Southeast Asia. He is based partly in San Francisco, CA, Kyoto, Japan, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

Coca's feature and news pieces have appeared in global media ...

Paul Cochrane is a freelance journalist based in Udine, Italy. He lived in Beirut, Lebanon from 2002 to 2019, and in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from 2019 until 2024.

He has written for over 80 publications worldwide, covering financial crime, business, higher education and skills developments, ...

'Factory of tomorrow’: Egypt aims to replace Far East as cheap clothing king

01 Oct 2023  |  Middle East Eye  |  English  |  Global Trade

Egypt is positioning itself as a leading destination for low-cost clothing manufacturing, aiming to replace the Far East. With competitive wages and strategic proximity to Europe and the USA, Egypt is attracting major brands like Zara and Calvin Klein. The country is leveraging its large workforce and favorable trade agreements, despite challenges such as economic instability, high inflation, and water scarcity. The Egyptian government, along with international organizations, is working to improve working conditions and boost cotton production. The broader African continent is also seen as a rising frontier for garment manufacturing, with potential for significant economic growth and job creation.

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Confederation of Tunisian Citizen Enterprises UN’s International Labour Organisation Egyptian Government Export Promotion Council of Kenya Ready Made Garment Council Nile Holding Company International Apparel Federation Cotton Egypt Association Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Sedex

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Ann is an Australian freelance journalist in Mexico City. She reports for international media outlets on social, political and economic issues in Mexico including migration, the 'war on drugs', and feminist and indigenous social movements. 

Contributor to Foreign Policy, BBC New Economy, The New ...

Mexico’s war on press freedom is a blueprint for Australia

18 Jun 2019  |  Crikey  |  English  |  Organized Crime

Journalists in Mexico face extreme dangers, including threats, kidnappings, and murders, largely due to government corruption and complicity with organized crime. The article highlights the case of Ernesto, a journalist threatened after reporting on government corruption, and Anabel Hernández, an investigative journalist forced into exile. The Mexican government has been accused of using Pegasus malware to spy on journalists. The situation in Mexico is compared to recent events in Australia, suggesting that press freedom is under threat globally.

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Citizen Lab Mexican Government Australian Federal Police ABC

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Freelance journalist: science, culture, technology, travel, education & personal essays for National Geographic, SmithsonianMag, Aeon, GOOD, Discover, BBC Wildlife, Psychologies, Huck, Matador Network and more. Digital media professional: video, photography and web. I am location independent and ...

19 Shutdown Exit Strategies

10 Apr 2020  |  cacm.acm.org  |  English  |  Privacy

Governments in the U.S. and Europe are analyzing technologies from countries emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic to implement their own strategies. Technologies like thermal scanners, vision algorithms, and contact tracing apps are being used to control the virus's spread. Privacy concerns are significant, with organizations like Privacy International and Citizen Matters reviewing the implications. The TCN Coalition has developed a privacy protocol for anonymized contact tracing, supported by Google and Apple. MIT Media Lab and other institutions are also developing citizen-centric tools. European countries are working on contact tracing projects, emphasizing transparency and privacy. Technologies to limit COVID-19 transmission will become integral to daily life.

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MIT Media Lab Citizen Matters Privacy International University of Oxford TCN Coalition Stanford University University of Waterloo PEPP-PT Imperial College, London

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Farid Farid is a journalist based in Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt.

People in the UAE Can Now Be Jailed for 15 Years for ‘Liking’ Qatar

08 Jun 2017  |  www.vice.com  |  English  |  Middle East Politics

The UAE has enacted a new cybercrime law imposing up to 15 years of imprisonment for expressing sympathy towards Qatar on social media, following the severance of diplomatic ties. The law, announced by UAE Attorney General Hamad Said al-Shamsi, also includes hefty fines. This move is part of a broader regional conflict involving Qatar's alleged support for terrorist groups and its relations with Iran. The article highlights the UAE's sensitivity to criticism and its efforts to control the narrative on social media, with references to past incidents of surveillance and arrests of dissidents. The timing of these measures coincides with recent geopolitical shifts, including Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia and the UK's Brexit, which have reduced Western influence on Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

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Citizen Lab UAE Government Saudi Arabia FBI Muslim Brotherhood Hamas

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Robert Foyle Hunwick is a writer and editor based in Beijing, China. He has written extensively for various US and UK magazines and newspapers, including The Times, Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, The Atlantic, Esquire, Foreign Policy, Global Post (now PRI), Asia Sentinel, Danwei, Time Out Beijing, ...

How Do You Control 1.4 Billion People?

02 May 2018  |  newrepublic.com  |  English  |  Authoritarianism

China's state-backed social credit system, set to become mandatory by 2020, aims to rate citizens based on their behavior and trustworthiness. While some residents see it as a solution to societal mistrust and corruption, critics argue it will lead to unprecedented surveillance and authoritarian control. Commercial versions like Alibaba's Sesame Credit already influence daily life, rewarding 'good' behavior and penalizing 'bad' behavior. Concerns include data privacy, potential for abuse, and the system's vulnerability to corruption. The article highlights the tension between the government's goals and the public's trust in such a system.

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University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab Communist Party of China National Development and Reform Commission

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I am a journalist based in Madrid. I have worked for seven years in the Diagonal and El Salto Diario newspapers, of which I am one of the founders. I am specialized in information on human rights violations and company monitoring.

The Government Clings to 'National Security' to Avoid Clarifying if it Knew About the Massive Espionage Against Pro-Independence Politicians

10 Oct 2023  |  rebelion.org  |  Spanish  |  National Security

The Spanish government is under scrutiny for allegedly using the Pegasus spyware to surveil at least 65 pro-independence Catalan and Basque politicians and activists. The espionage, revealed by The New Yorker and investigated by Citizen Lab, implicates the Spanish Ministry of Interior. Carles Puigdemont and other affected individuals plan to file lawsuits against the Spanish state and NSO Group. The government denies involvement but cites national security to avoid detailed responses. Amnesty International calls for a thorough investigation by the European Parliament.

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Citizen Lab Spanish Government The New Yorker Amnesty International CNI Parliament of Catalonia Assemblea Nacional Catalana Omnium Cultural European Parliament

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Alessio Giussani is a journalist based between Athens, Greece, and Milan, Italy.

Greek Wiretapping Scandal: A Legacy of Surveillance

27 Jan 2023  |  Green European Journal  |  English  |  European Union and spyware

The article discusses the ongoing surveillance scandal in Greece, highlighting its historical context and current implications. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis faced a no-confidence vote due to the wiretapping of journalists, politicians, and military figures. The scandal has roots in Greece's past military dictatorship, with state surveillance continuing despite the transition to democracy. The recent scandal, dubbed the 'Greek Watergate,' involves the illegal use of spyware like Predator and the wiretapping of individuals such as journalist Thanasis Koukakis and politician Nikos Androulakis. The article suggests that the Greek government's resistance to investigating the use of Predator and the increase in authorized wiretaps indicate a persistent surveillance culture. The European Union's inability to address the spyware issue effectively is also criticized. With general elections approaching, the scandal could influence Greek politics, although the public's focus on other issues like inflation may limit its impact.

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Citizen Lab ADAE European Parliament EYP Reporters Without Borders European Council PEGA committee InsideStory

Peter Guest is a writer, editor, producer and photographer, based in Southeast Asia. His work has appeared in Nikkei Asian Review, the Atlantic, Newsweek, the Financial Times, Wired, the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal and others. He has reported from more than 40 countries across five continents,...

Dictators Used Sandvine Tech to Censor the Internet. The US Finally Did Something About It

02 Oct 2023  |  www.wired.com  |  English  |  Digital Rights

The US Department of Commerce has blacklisted Sandvine, a Canadian tech company, for its role in enabling internet censorship in Egypt and other authoritarian regimes. This decision follows years of advocacy by digital rights groups and highlights the misuse of Sandvine's deep packet inspection technology to suppress independent media and political dissent. The move is seen as a significant victory for civil society and a warning to companies that profit from selling dual-use technologies to repressive governments.

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Citizen Lab US Department of Commerce Qurium Access Now

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I am a freelance journalist and documentary maker, specialising in social and environmental issues.
I have experience across global desks in pitching, researching, filming, editing, scripting and subbing TV and multimedia stories ranging from breaking news to long-format multimedia features.
I ...

Italy Is Fighting Energy Poverty — and Climate Change

01 Oct 2023  |  nexusmedianews.com  |  English  |  Climate Change

San Giovanni a Teduccio, a neighborhood in Naples, Italy, is leading an equitable energy transition with a solar panel project that provides low-cost, clean energy to 20 families. This initiative is part of a broader national and EU effort to promote renewable energy communities, aiming to reduce energy poverty and foster community cohesion. The project, supported by organizations like Legambiente and Fondazione Famiglia di Maria, has inspired similar efforts in the U.S. and is expected to expand, creating green jobs and democratizing energy access.

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Energy Center Lab of Turin Polytechnic European Federation of Citizen Energy Cooperatives Legambiente Fondazione Famiglia di Maria Fondazione con il Sud Solar Energy Industries Association Enco Symbola Foundation Magliano Alpi’s scientific committee

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jean-marc manach is a french investigative & OSINT (data)journalist based in Paris, France, working on surveillance, privacy and intelligence issues (among other things) since the late 90s.

He has written numerous information security manuals explaining how to protect ones sources and ...

Four victims of Pegasus spyware file lawsuit against NSO in the UK

25 Sept 2024  |  Next  |  French  |  Privacy Violations

Four individuals, including journalists and activists, have filed a lawsuit against NSO Group in the UK, alleging that they were targeted by the Pegasus spyware between 2018 and 2021. The lawsuit, prepared by the Global Legal Action Network, also targets NSO's parent company, Q Cyber Technologies, and Novalpina, which acquired NSO in 2019. The victims claim they were spied on by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain. Despite previous calls for action, the UK government has not sanctioned NSO, even after revelations that Pegasus targeted Downing Street. The article highlights ongoing legal challenges against NSO in the US and the company's attempts to dismiss these cases.

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Citizen Lab Global Legal Action Network Metropolitan Police The Guardian

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Tommaso Meo is a journalist based in Rome, Italy.

Catalan leaders were spied on with Pegasus software

19 Apr 2022  |  www.wired.it  |  Italian  |  Political Espionage

The Pegasus spyware, developed by the Israeli NSO Group, has been used to target Catalan independence leaders and potentially the UK government. Citizen Lab's investigation revealed that at least 65 Catalan politicians were spied on between 2017 and 2020, with suspicions pointing towards the Spanish government. The spyware also infiltrated networks at 10 Downing Street and the Foreign Office, with links to the UAE. Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the matter.

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Citizen Lab Spanish Government Amnesty International Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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mohsin saleem ullah is a journalist based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Our data protection: deserted and disregarded

22 Dec 2022  |  The Express Tribune  |  English  |  Technology

The article discusses the inadequacy of data protection laws in Pakistan, highlighting the need for legal reforms to safeguard citizens' digital privacy. It points out the involvement of international companies like Huawei and Ericsson in network surveillance and raises concerns about the upcoming launch of Google's liaison office in Karachi. The article emphasizes the importance of enacting robust information privacy laws and raising public awareness about data protection rights.

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Citizen Lab Government of Pakistan Freedom House Privacy International State Bank The State Ministry of IT and Technology SECP

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Liam Scott is an independent journalist based in Washington, D.C. He focuses on human rights and mass atrocities, China, press freedom, and disinformation.

Deepfake Video Impersonates VOA Russian Service Anchor, Underscoring AI Concerns

31 Oct 2023  |  Voice of America  |  English  |  Government Regulation of AI

The article discusses a deepfake video of VOA’s Russian Service journalist Ksenia Turkova, which was circulated on Facebook to promote a cryptocurrency trading product. Turkova, who has worked in Russia and Ukraine before joining VOA in the US, expressed concern over the potential damage to her reputation and the trustworthiness of journalists. The deepfake phenomenon, where AI is used to create fake videos of real news anchors, is a growing concern for spreading disinformation and undermining media credibility. Experts from Citizen Lab, NYU’s Stern Center, and the Center for a New American Security commented on the implications of such tactics and the need for AI regulation. President Biden's recent executive order on AI guardrails was mentioned, but concerns remain about the misuse of open-source AI systems by foreign governments or actors.

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Citizen Lab New York University’s Stern Center for Business and Human Rights Center for a New American Security White House

Freelance journalist based in Sana'a, Yemen.

Johnson’s Saudi WhatsApps to stay secret

01 Oct 2023  |  www.declassifieduk.org  |  English  |  Yemen Conflict

The UK government has refused to disclose any WhatsApp communications between Boris Johnson and Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman, citing national security concerns. This decision comes amid scrutiny over the use of WhatsApp for official communications, especially during a period of intense air strikes in Yemen by a Saudi-led coalition. Human rights organizations have linked UK-made arms to these attacks. The article also highlights concerns about the vulnerability of WhatsApp to hacking, with allegations that the UAE and other allies have targeted Downing Street using Pegasus spyware.

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Citizen Lab Downing Street Human Rights Watch Amnesty International Royal Air Force

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ํYiamyut Sutthichaya is a journalist.

'Pegasus' spyware swoops in on Thai activists, academics, actress

20 Jul 2022  |  Prachatai English  |  English  |  Human Rights

At least 30 critics of the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration in Thailand had their phones infected with Pegasus spyware, a sophisticated surveillance tool developed by Israel-based NSO Group. The spyware, which allows complete control over infected devices, has been used to monitor activists, academics, and NGO officers critical of the government. Investigations by Citizen Lab, DigitalReach, and iLaw suggest state involvement, although conclusive proof is still needed. The spyware has been linked to monitoring political protests and dissidents, with significant implications for privacy and human rights in Thailand.

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Citizen Lab Thai Government DigitalReach iLaw We Volunteer (WeVo) Narcotics Suppression Bureau Ratsadon United Front of Thammasat and Demonstrations (UFTD) Thammasat University Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Thai Netizen Network

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Edward Szekeres is a freelance journalist based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Well-versed in fixing, feature writing, interviewing and breaking news.

Democracy Digest: Poland Focuses on Pegasus and Putin

21 Jan 2022  |  Balkan Insight  |  English  |  Energy

Poland's liberal opposition gains support from Pawel Kukiz, increasing pressure on the ruling PiS party amid a surveillance scandal involving Pegasus spyware. President Joe Biden announces potential US troop increases in Poland and Romania if Russia invades Ukraine. Hungary's Viktor Orban plans meetings with Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro, facing delays in nuclear projects and political challenges. The Czech government scraps mandatory COVID-19 vaccination plans, while Slovakia's prosecutor general faces scrutiny over a controversial cooperation deal with Russia. Slovak MEP Michal Simecka is elected vice-president of the European Parliament.

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Citizen Lab PiS NATO Central Anti-Corruption Bureau Polish Supreme Court ARTE AFP Visegrad Four Gazprom European Parliament European Commission

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I am an award-winning photographer & videographer currently based in Sacramento, CA USA. I possess a solid background in photojournalism and specializes in the long-term narrative. As a storyteller, I am passionate about utilizing the visual narrative as a tool to inform, engage, and impact ...

Why Global Citizens Should Care

22 Nov 2019  |  Global Citizen  |  English  |  Innovation in Technology

The article discusses the work of Nashin Mahtani, co-founder of PetaBencana.id and a finalist for the Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award. PetaBencana.id is a crowd-sourced, real-time flood information system in Jakarta, Indonesia, that uses social media and government data to create a live map of flood events. This helps residents, government officials, and relief organizations navigate and respond to natural disasters more effectively. The platform has been recognized for its innovative approach to disaster relief and its potential to be scaled to other cities facing similar challenges due to climate change. The article highlights the importance of localized knowledge and access to information for minimizing risk and reducing loss during disasters.

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Urban Risk Lab Global Citizen Massachusetts Institute of Technology Red Cross

Aleksa Tešić is an investigative journalist working for BIRN Serbia, covering mostly topics about surveillance, digital rights, technology in Serbia and Balkan region. He has worked on many stories regarding NSO Group, China's surveillance systems, EU privacy regulations and refugee monitoring. He ...

Israeli spyware increasingly present in Serbia

03 Mar 2022  |  BIRN  |  Serbian  |  International Relations

Israeli companies specializing in spyware are showing increased interest in the Serbian market, with evidence that Serbian authorities have acquired and are using at least two such programs. Facebook has blocked profiles of seven companies, including Cognyte Software and North Macedonia-based Cytrox, for using their programs to spy on journalists, opposition politicians, and activists. Cytrox, led by Ivo Malinkovski, has been implicated in surveillance activities in several countries, including Serbia. Other companies like Circles and Cyberbit Solutions have also been involved in the Serbian surveillance landscape. The industry, which is underregulated in Serbia, raises concerns about the potential for abuse of technology and the lack of legal frameworks to govern the production, circulation, and use of surveillance equipment.

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Citizen Lab Facebook Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)

Margaret Ward is an award-winning journalist based in Dublin, Ireland. She was formerly the Foreign Editor and China correspondent at Ireland's public service broadcaster RTE and has twenty years experience, mostly covering foreign affairs. She is available to report and comment on Irish politics ...

How the votes landed in 1920

08 Mar 2023  |  TheJournal.ie  |  English  |  Historical elections

The article discusses the first proportional representation election in Ireland on January 15, 1920, highlighting the participation of women as candidates. Women's groups like Cumann na d’Teachtaire and the Irish Women’s Franchise League played a significant role in advocating for female representation. Despite the efforts, only 42 women were elected out of over 1,800 seats. Sinn Féin was noted for setting a good example by including women, while other parties were less supportive. The article also covers the success of women in Dublin and surrounding areas, with notable figures such as Kathleen Clarke and Hanna Sheehy Skeffington being elected. The piece reflects on the historical context of women's suffrage and political involvement in Ireland, mentioning the Irish Independent's and Freeman’s Journal's reports on women voters. It concludes with a critique of the tendency to select female candidates based on their relations to prominent men, a practice that would continue to affect women's political opportunities.

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Labour Party Irish Citizen Cumann na d’Teachtaire Irish Women’s Franchise League Sinn Féin Irish Independent Freeman’s Journal Irish Women Workers Union Domestic Workers’ Union Irish Nurses Union

Samuel Woodhams is a Researcher at the digital rights group and VPN comparison website, Top10VPN. Based in London, United Kingdom, he writes at the intersection of technology and politics, with a particular focus on internet shutdowns, digital rights and disinformation. His work has been featured ...

Spyware: An Unregulated and Escalating Threat to Independent Media

01 Jul 2021  |  Center for International Media Assistance  |  English  |  Human Rights

The unchecked growth of the commercial spyware industry is enabling repressive governments to surveil, harass, and attack independent journalists, posing significant safety risks and encouraging self-censorship. The use of spyware by governments worldwide is a growing threat to press freedom, with notable cases involving NSO Group's Pegasus software. Advocacy groups and media organizations are calling for greater regulation and transparency to combat the misuse of spyware and protect journalists. The industry’s opacity and the collaboration between private companies and governments complicate efforts to hold perpetrators accountable. Enhanced collaboration among press freedom organizations, human rights nonprofits, and digital security experts is essential to address the proliferation of targeted spyware and push for greater accountability.

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Citizen Lab Committee to Protect Journalists Forbidden Stories Amnesty International United Nations Privacy International ARTICLE 19 Samir Kassir Foundation Reporters Without Borders Campaign Against Arms Trade

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