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
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.

WhatsApp to pursue lawsuit against Israeli NSO Group: US Supreme Court

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 10 Jan 2023 08:47
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The verdict by the Supreme Court comes as Washington becomes increasingly concerned about the Israeli spyware industry.

  • x
  •  Protest against Israeli NSO group (Reuters)
    Protest against Israeli NSO group (Reuters)

The US Supreme Court rejected a petition from NSO Group, an Israeli spyware firm, to dismiss a complaint that the company used the WhatsApp platform to eavesdrop on 1,400 users in 2019.

The verdict affirms a prior California federal court judgment that rejected NSO Group's claims that it qualified for foreign sovereign immunity since “it was investigating terrorist activity on behalf of a foreign government at the time it deployed the software."

NSO Group petitioned the Supreme Court in April, following the rejection of an appeal in the lawsuit made by Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, by a federal judge in California.

The Supreme Court had earlier requested that the Biden administration weigh in on the matter, and in November, the Justice Department filed an amicus brief urging the court to refuse the petition.

In 2021, the administration put NSO Group and another Israeli spyware company, Candiru, on its list of entities that constitute a national security concern.

The verdict by the Supreme Court comes as Washington becomes increasingly concerned about the Israeli spyware industry. President Biden is anticipated to sign an executive order restricting federal agencies' use of spyware later this year, and members of Congress have also offered legislative alternatives.

Related News

Khashoggi's widow to sue Israeli NSO for spying on her

In a statement to CyberScoop, WhatsApp Spokesperson Carl Woog said, “We’re grateful to see the Supreme Court rejected NSO’s baseless petition.”

“NSO’s spyware has enabled cyberattacks targeting human rights activists, journalists, and government officials. We firmly believe that their operations violate US law and they must be held to account for their unlawful operations,” he added.

The court's judgment could help additional lawsuits against the surveillance firm get traction. In December, the Knight Institute sued NSO Group in federal court in the United States on behalf of members of the Salvadoran news source El Faro. According to the lawsuit, the NSO Group violated US hacking laws by using spyware on journalists.

“We’re pleased that the Supreme Court rejected NSO Group’s petition. Today’s decision clears the path for lawsuits brought by the tech companies, as well as for suits brought by journalists and human rights advocates who have been victims of spyware attacks,” Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, stressed in a statement.

“The use of spyware to surveil and intimidate journalists poses one of the most urgent threats to press freedom and democracy today,” DeCell added.

It is worth noting that the Israeli-led spyware industry has been embroiled in a seemingly never-ending spate of extremely prominent controversies. Revelations that it sells its spyware to authoritarian regimes, that its products have been used to spy on journalists, activists, politicians, and even potentially world leaders, and accusations that it played a role in murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death have put it at the center of international criticism.

Read next: US defense company in talks over buying NSO's Pegasus

  • US Supreme Court
  • Israeli NSO Group
  • Israeli spyware
  • Israel
  • Pegasus

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Elon Musk attends a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Elon Musk calls for dissolving UK parliament at London far-right rally

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas
Politics

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan
Politics

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor
Politics

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor

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