Securing Democracy & Media Freedom: EU Action on Spyware and Surveillance
Date
Time
Location
European Parliament - Room ANTALL 6Q1
60 Rue Wiertz
1047 Bruxelles Belgium
Time: 6 – 8pm CEST
Date: Tuesday, June 24
The proliferation of spyware, particularly the use of Pegasus by the NSO Group and Graphite, has raised significant concerns about privacy, security, and human rights. Investigative efforts, such as those by CitizenLab and journalists, have revealed that spyware has been used to target individuals, including journalists, activists, and politicians, many of whom reside within the EU. A recent CitizenLab investigation revealed that over 90 individuals, including journalists and human rights defenders across EU Member States were targeted with zero-click spyware developed by Paragon Solutions.
This underscores the abuse of commercial spyware and the prevalence of unlawful surveillance practices across Europe. The European Parliament’s PEGA report highlighted systemic issues and the urgent need for action. However, despite these findings, the EU’s response remains inconsistent and insufficient.
CDT Featured Speaker
- Silvia Lorenzo Perez, Counsel and Director of the Equity and Data Programme, CDT Europe