Ireland's New Surveillance Bill Opens Door to Spyware Abuse
Ireland is considering a new bill that would legalize the use of spyware by the police — including commercial spyware offered by companies like NSO Group, Intellexa and Paragon Solutions.
The Communications (Interception and Lawful Access) Bill, which will update Ireland’s existing surveillance law dating back to 1993, aims to apply “to all forms of communications,” including the content of encrypted messages on apps such as Signal and WhatsApp, as well as related metadata, according to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
Ireland is home to several spyware-linked businesses, including the US-blacklisted Intellexa Limited and Thalestris Limited.
It is unclear whether the Irish state already uses spyware. However, in 2024, the Irish state police, Garda Síochána, paid spyware maker Cognyte €276,433, the Irish Times reported.
“If [the police] have used spyware, we see no clear legal basis to do so,” Olga Cronin, Senior Policy Officer with the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, told Tech Policy Press.
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