Security News > 2021 > July > Amnesty Urges Moratorium on Surveillance Technology in Pegasus Scandal
Allegations that governments used phone malware supplied by an Israeli firm to spy on journalists, activists and heads of state have "Exposed a global human rights crisis," Amnesty International said, asking for a moratorium on the sale and use of surveillance technology.
In a Friday statement, the NGO warned of "The devastating impact of the poorly regulated spyware industry on human rights worldwide."
The NSO Group's Pegasus software - able to switch on a phone's camera or microphone and harvest its data - is at the centre of a storm after a list of about 50,000 potential surveillance targets was leaked to rights groups.
"Now, we urgently need greater regulation over the cyber surveillance industry, accountability for human rights violations and abuses, and greater oversight over this shadowy industry."
Amnesty called for an immediate moratorium on any export, sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology "Until there is a human rights-compliant regulatory framework in place."
The list of alleged targets includes at least 180 journalists, 600 politicians, 85 human rights activists and 65 business leaders.