Combating digital threats to safeguard press freedom

From spyware that silently invades journalists’ devices, to attacks on encryption, to the twisting of cybersecurity laws against media workers, digital threats to journalists aren’t just technical issues — they’re becoming existential. In our new post marking World Press Freedom Day, we highlight some of the gravest and most persistent threats we’ve tackled since Access Now’s founding in 2009. Our message: if we want to save journalism and the public’s right to know, the time to act is now. Read more via Access Now

NSO finally pays the price

NSO to pay Meta nearly $168 million in damages for hacking WhatsApp

NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware is notorious for destroying the lives of journalists, activists, and human rights defenders around the world. But when a U.S. federal court judge issued an historic summary judgement against NSO in the WhatsApp hacking case in January, it opened the door to ending the impunity. On Tuesday, the jury fined NSO a staggering $167,254 million USD in punitive damages — demonstrating that mercenary spyware makers like NSO can no longer hide in the shadows. Read more via Access Now

Targets...but not people?

According to court records in the WhatsApp case, NSO Vice President Tamir Gazneli argued that his company’s tools gather intelligence on “targets,” but “not people,” prompting the judge to ask, “You don't consider the targets people, Mr. Gazneli?" In case you missed it, Access Now shared the stories of five people who were directly impacted by the hacking. Read about the important work they were doing to protect human rights, how their governments used NSO tools against them, and the horrific consequences they faced as a result. Read more via Access Now

FAQ: Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline and Apple threat notifications

Pegasus and other dangerous spyware tools are live threats to journalists and human rights defenders worldwide, and our 24/7 Digital Security Helpline is on the front line of defense. Just last week Apple sent a new round of spyware threat notifications to people in 100 countries. Here’s our FAQ on how we help those who receive a notification and reach out for help, available in English and 10 other languages. Read more via Access Now

What’s next in the spyware battle

A thoughtful op-ed from Bloomberg looks at the implications of the WhatsApp victory, concluding that while it establishes an important precedent that will facilitate more litigation, it will be “more of a bruising than a death knell for this shadowy sector” if other U.S. tech companies whose platforms and users are targeted for hacking do not step up. Read more via Bloomberg

To ProtectEU, protect encryption

Experts call for a key role in shaping EU encryption policy

Technical experts agree: there’s no safe way to create a backdoor to end-to-end encrypted systems like the one the Signal messaging app uses. Introducing any kind of vulnerability only endangers the people who rely on them — from journalists to politicians. Unfortunately, that’s not stopping EU policymakers from suggesting “lawful and effective” backdoor access is possible. As the European Commission looks into ways to bypass encryption as part of its “ProtectEU” internal security plan, we joined EDRi and other rights groups to demand a seat at the table. Read more via EDRi

When journalism is outlawed

Tunisia uses new cybercrime law to jail record number of journalists

As part of our participation in World Press Freedom Day, we joined our partners to present a panel discussion on the situation for press freedom in Tunisia, explaining how the cybercrimes decree law has been used as a powerful weapon for silencing journalists, and must be reformed. This piece from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has details on the political context behind the crackdown on press freedom. Read more via CPJ

Opportunities and other highlights

NEXT WEEK: “Shaping the future of African technology”

We’re excited to participate in the Africa Tech Policy Summit taking place May 12-16 in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted by KICTANet, it promises to be a pivotal event for Africa’s technological advancement. We hope to see you there. Read more via KICTANet

JOIN US: “Technologies at war: the role of Big Tech companies and the EU in facilitating war crimes and genocide in Gaza”

Mark your calendar: we’re organizing a panel discussion at this year’s CPDP ("Computers, Privacy and Data Protection") summit in Brussels, Belgium. Moderated by Access Now’s Daniel Leufer, the panel will explore key questions for human rights in the age of AI, including what strategies or leverage points can be used to challenge and resist complicity in the tech-facilitated war on Gaza. The panel takes place May 23 at 14:15-15:30 local time. Learn more and register. Read more via CPDP

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