While national security is undoubtedly important, one must question whether the scales have tipped dangerously in favor of watching minds at the expense of nurturing them.  

Documents obtained by Israeli news outlet Haaretz revealed that in 2022, Intellexa, a European firm behind the Predator spyware which is equipped to gain access to a target's phone contents in real time, showcased a proof-of-concept system called Aladdin, designed to disseminate phone spyware via online ads. Haaretz reported that the Aladdin system targeted graphic designers and activists under the guise of job offers, demonstrating how the spyware infiltrates devices. However, the status of Aladdin's development and whether it was sold to government entities remains unclear.

Government hackers exploited three undisclosed vulnerabilities in iPhone operating systems last year, according to a recent report by Google. As per the report, these vulnerabilities were used to deploy spyware and leveraged ‘zero-day’ vulnerabilities in iPhone unknown to Apple.

We should be concerned about the deployment of surveillance tech without any judicial oversight

Cellebrite, an Israel-based digital intelligence firm, has decided to halt sales to Bangladesh, stating its concern that the tools might lead to violation of human rights. According to recent reports by Haaretz, the longest-running newspaper of Israel, Cellebrite’s "hardware was reportedly used by a paramilitary unit accused of extrajudicial killings, torture and disappearances of civilians and journalists."