The US State Department is going to impose visa restrictions on 13 people involved in the development and sale of commercial spyware. The restrictions will also be imposed on their spouses and children. This is the first implementation on a spyware-related visa-restriction program announced in February.
Visa restrictions mean the State department can deny entrance into the United States for any of the people placed under the order. This move is to combat the commercial spyware used by authoritarian governments, which it says constitutes a human rights abuse. For example, NSO Group’s infamous Pegasus mobile tracking tool, has been used in attacks on civil society by repressive regimes, the US has claimed.
Read More: US Gov Slaps Visa Restrictions on Spyware Honchos
