Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa's motorcade comes under fire in Ecuador
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Lebanon: Israeli quadcopter drops two shells on cafe in Houla town in South Lebanon
Informed source to Al Mayadeen: SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi demands that al-Sharaa approve the establishment of an autonomous region similar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Israeli media: Three drones launched from Yemen toward Eilat in span of 20 minutes.
Qatari Foreign Ministry: "Israel" should have already ceased fire under Trump plan for Gaza
Qatari Foreign Ministry: Release of Israeli captives will mark end of war in Gaza in accordance with Trump plan.
Israeli media: Security incident in Gaza Strip classified as serious results in six wounded soldiers so far, two critically injured.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strike targets vehicle in Deir Ames, Tyre governorate.
Lebanese Ministry of Health: Final toll from airstrike on car in Zebdine, Nabatieh District: Two martyrs, four injured
Egyptian media: Indirect talks between Hamas and Israelis begin in Sharm el-Sheikh.

“Israel’s” NSO Group appeals to US Supreme Court for immunity in WhatsApp lawsuit

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Apr 2022 16:56
3 Min Read

NSO stated in its filing that it should be recognized as a foreign government agent and thus entitled to sovereign immunity under US law.

  • x
  • NSO Group’s request is an appeal of two previous federal court rulings.
    NSO Group’s request is an appeal of two previous federal court rulings.

NSO Group, an Israeli spyware company, has filed an appeal with the United States Supreme Court in response to a high-profile lawsuit filed by the WhatsApp messaging service.

NSO stated in its case that it should be recognized as a foreign government agent and thus entitled to sovereign immunity under US law.

Furthermore, the request is an appeal of two previous federal court rulings that rejected the Israeli company's similar arguments.

In its petition, NSO stated that the Supreme Court needed to rule on the issue of sovereign foreign immunity, which has significant national security implications for governments worldwide and has been met with mixed results in lower courts.

"Many nations, including the United States, rely on private contractors to conduct or support core governmental activities," the statement read.

"If such contractors can never seek immunity ... then the United States and other countries may soon find their military and intelligence operations disrupted by lawsuits against their agents," it added.

Facebook, now known as Meta, sued NSO in 2019 for allegedly targeting 1,400 users of WhatsApp's encrypted messaging service with highly sophisticated spyware. It seeks unspecified damages and is attempting to block NSO from Facebook platforms and servers.

Several US tech behemoths, including Microsoft and Google, backed the lawsuit. Apple later filed a similar suit against the Israeli firm.

Last summer, Forbidden Stories coordinated a series of investigations that revealed how governments used Pegasus to spy on activists, journalists, and political dissidents. Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates have all been accused of using spyware.

Read More: Bin Salman’s “Cyberweapon”: Not Only Against Saudis

It is unknown whether the Supreme Court will hear the case, and a decision could take months. However, a decision in favor of NSO could shield it from a discovery process that could reveal its customers and technological secrets. NSO is requesting that the entire case be dismissed.

Federal courts have rejected NSO claims of foreign immunity on two separate occasions, once in the WhatsApp case and again in the Apple case.

NSO was also blacklisted by the US Commerce Department last year, limiting its access to American technology. According to US officials, the company's products are complicit in "transnational repression".

In addition to lawsuits in the United States, the company is facing legal challenges around the world, the most recent of which comes from French-Palestinian human rights activist and political prisoner Salah Hammouri over the hacking of his phone.

  • NSO
  • NSO Group
  • Israel
  • US lawmakers
  • WhatsApp lawsuit
  • US Supreme Court

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
In this May 20, 20201, photo Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, arrives in Baghdad, Iraq (AP)
Politics

US spent $33 billion on post-Oct.7 genocide, wars, Brown Uni reports

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a news conference to mark the seventh day of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. (AP)
Politics

US troops face unpaid wages as government shutdown drags on

Mourners wave Hezbollah and a Palestinian flag during the funeral of Hezbollah former leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Sayyed Hashem Safieddine in the Sports City Stadium in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, February 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Hezbollah voices support for Gaza, Resistance on October 7 anniversary

Al-Aqsa Flood restored Palestinian cause on the global stage: Hamas
Politics

Al-Aqsa Flood restored Palestinian cause on the global stage: Hamas

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS