What's happened
Israeli-made Pegasus spyware used to hack phones of journalists, lawyers, and activists in Jordan.
Why it matters
The use of spyware to target individuals in Jordan is a significant violation of privacy and raises concerns about government surveillance and repression of civil rights.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera highlights the potential widespread use of Pegasus spyware in Jordan, while The Guardian emphasizes the targeting of journalists, political activists, and human rights workers. The Independent and AP News provide similar coverage, focusing on the use of Pegasus spyware to hack the phones of individuals in Jordan.
How we got here
The use of Pegasus spyware in Jordan has been ongoing since early 2020, with reports indicating a broad crackdown on press freedoms and political participation.
More on these topics
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Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an Arab country in Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and the east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and Israel and Palestine
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Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group that can be covertly installed on mobile phones running most versions of iOS and Android.
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Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.
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Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware.