Governments aim to counter the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware

The governments of Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States have announced their partnership to counter misuse of commercial spyware. The partnership comprises of governments working within their respective systems to establish guardrails and procedures to ensure that any commercial spyware used by their governments conforms to human rights. They will also prevent the export of software, technology, and equipment to end-users who are likely to use them for malicious cyber activities. Furthermore, the governments will engage with industry, civil society, and other stakeholders to better align their policies and export control authorities to mitigate the misuse of commercial spyware.   
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Joint Statement on efforts to counter the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware is signed by Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with an aim to prevent the proliferation and misuse of powerful and invasive spyware technologies.

Pegasus, a software developed by Israel’s company NSO, is the most known commercial spyware with many instances of misuse by governments worldwide for spying on political opponents, journalists, and activists.

The Join Statment should protect, in particular, individuals and organisations at risk around the world, defend activists, dissidents, and journalists against threats to their freedom and dignity, and promote respect for human rights and the rule of law. The misuse of commercial spyware has been documented not only in authoritarian regimes but also in democracies, where it has been used to target and intimidate perceived opponents and facilitate efforts to curb dissent. The Joint Declaration will promote respect for human rights and uphold democratic principles and the rule of law.

Practical measures include the prevention of the export of software, technology, and equipment to end-users who are likely to use them for malicious cyber activities, alignment of their policies and export control authorities to mitigate the misuse of commercial spyware.  In order to avoid misuses, tech companies and investors should follow the UN Guiding principles on business and human rights.

You can find more information on Joint Statement here.