Surveilled: Ronan Farrow’s Investigation into the Dark World of Spyware and Surveillance

In 2017, journalist Ronan Farrow investigated Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse allegations. His efforts prompted the #MeToo movement but also made him a target of surveillance. Weinstein hired the Israeli firm Black Cube, which used traditional surveillance tactics like false identities and stakeouts. They even tracked Farrow’s phone location.

Farrow later detailed these tactics in the New Yorker. He reported on private companies selling powerful spyware technology. According to him, this new technology is more invasive and sophisticated than traditional methods. The documentary Surveilled, airing on HBO, follows Farrow’s investigations into global spyware use, focusing on a tool called Pegasus.

The film explores the reach of Pegasus from Tel Aviv, the heart of the spyware industry, to Silicon Valley and Canada. It shows how governments, including democratic nations, secretly use commercial spyware against their citizens. The documentary raises concerns about privacy erosion and the need for oversight.

Throughout the film, NSO Group, the company behind Pegasus, claims to vet clients and be unaware of any misuse of its technology. However, Farrow’s reporting suggests otherwise. He notes that watchdogs see data flowing through NSO’s systems, indicating potential knowledge of misuse.

Legal actions reveal that NSO itself operates the spyware, determining targets at the client’s discretion. This includes regimes with poor human rights records. A former NSO employee said the company sold Pegasus at lower prices to European democracies while charging more to repressive governments. Their involvement in cases like the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi raises serious ethical questions.

Farrow calls for increased transparency and regulation similar to that of arms dealers, stating that spyware poses a danger to democracy. The U.S. government has not used Pegasus on private citizens as far as public records show, although it tested the technology under the Trump administration.

In 2022, the Biden administration limited the government’s ability to purchase private spyware, but loopholes remain. Farrow expressed concern over potential misuse of technology by the Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement. He believes this could infringe on the rights of millions of people in the U.S.

Surveilled highlights the need for a regulatory framework on commercial spyware. Farrow argues everyone should be aware that they could be surveilled. The cheap and accessible nature of modern surveillance tools makes this a critical issue for all citizens.

Farrow emphasizes that this matter affects freedom, dissent, and the diversity of opinion. He insists that it is vital to address the risks posed by these technologies to safeguard civil liberties and democratic structures.