Use of Pegasus-like tech against civil society, journalists always concerning: US State Department

Use of spying technology on civil society and journalists through “extrajudicial means” is always concerning, said Dean Thompson, Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs of the US State Department.

The US has said it is against the use of spying technology on civil society, regime critics and journalists through “extrajudicial means”, even as it maintained that it has no particular insight into the Pegasus snooping case in India. The alleged use of the Pegasus software to spy on politicians, journalists, human rights defenders and others in many countries, including India, has triggered concerns over issues relating to privacy.