Project Pegasus: WhatsApp head says governments need to hold NSO Group accountable

Terming the latest revelations on the widespread use of Israeli-firm NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware as a wakeup call for security on the internet, WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said that there is a growing need for “more companies, and, critically, governments, to take steps to hold NSO Group accountable.” He urged for a “global moratorium on the use of unaccountable surveillance technology now,” adding that it was past time.

He also added that the latest Pegasus revelations underline why the company continues to defend end-to-end encryption (E2E) so tirelessly, adding that “deliberately weakening security will have terrifying consequences for us all.” In May, WhatsApp had moved the Delhi High Court against the government’s new IT rules, arguing that the traceability clause was a violation of privacy.