I really wish the public narrative concerning spyware would shift to something analogous to how we see the state monopoly on violence.
The police are a necessary institution that needs oversight and criticism to ensure that the dignity and rights of the population are preserved as much as possible. To that end, we don't hand over the role to private militia that has sparse regulation and no accountability.
NSO Group are the private police with sparse regulation and no accountability of the spyware world. They don't simply sell the means to an end, they operate and deploy those means on behalf of customers.
Just as we shouldn't accept police hiring private forces to kick down doors to check in on suspects, we shouldn't accept the contracting of services from NSO Group.
The police are a necessary institution that needs oversight and criticism to ensure that the dignity and rights of the population are preserved as much as possible. To that end, we don't hand over the role to private militia that has sparse regulation and no accountability.
NSO Group are the private police with sparse regulation and no accountability of the spyware world. They don't simply sell the means to an end, they operate and deploy those means on behalf of customers.
Just as we shouldn't accept police hiring private forces to kick down doors to check in on suspects, we shouldn't accept the contracting of services from NSO Group.