Pegasus spyware: Pirates call for urgent action after parliamentary Committee concludes

Today, the PEGA Committee of the European Parliament, tasked with investigating the use of spyware against journalists, activists, and politicians, concludes its mandate with the adoption of its recommendations by MEPs. The Committee has faced persistent political pressure, particularly from accused Member States, who have been uncooperative throughout the inquiry.

With these guidelines, Parliament demands a complete cease of spyware usage by the end of the year unless specific conditions are met. Moreover, it calls for the establishment of an “EU Tech Lab” to provide victims with phone screening and technical support. Pirate Party MEPs were able to incorporate demands for safeguards into the text, which would make it effectively impossible to deploy spyware, and are calling for urgent action.

Patrick Breyer, German Pirate Party Member of the European Parliament and digital freedom fighter, comments:

“The phone hacking attacks and the ransomware crimes have a common cause: security vulnerabilities nowadays endanger human lives. In the age of the digital revolution, commercial manufacturers bear a responsibility and should be liable for damages if security bugs are their fault. Unfortunately, today’s resolution stops short of calling for this accountability.

In the face of the Pegasus scandal, the Commission is seriously proposing we introduce chat control mass surveillance and fundamental security vulnerabilities by mandating encryption backdoors. The safety of our mobile phones and personal information must have priority over government appetite for surveillance and over corporate interests!”