https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/22/techcrunch-disrupts-security-stage-highlights-the-risks-of-spyware-government-surveillance/

Governments all over the world, authoritarian and democratic, use spyware to hack the phones of activists, journalists, and political rivals who are critical of their governments.

Initially, the spyware industry consisted of a few known actors, like Hacking Team and FinFisher. But over the past decade — as the technology evolved and smartphones and computers became ubiquitous — the industry has ballooned in size. Can this industry operate legally and ethically? If not, what can we do to counter state-backed abuse of spyware and its violent consequences, including harassment, arbitrary detention, and killings?