Citizen Lab Director Warns of Spyware, Mass Surveillance and AI Disinformation
Summary
At SecTor 2026, Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert warned that commercial spyware, expanding government surveillance, and AI-enabled disinformation threaten civil society, citing concerns about US government and technology-company actions.
Key points
- Deibert discussed Citizen Lab's past investigations into commercial spyware, including Pegasus's targeting of people close to journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
- He criticized documented spyware abuses by foreign governments against activists, journalists, and dissidents.
- Deibert expressed concern that US efforts against spyware firms could weaken, pointing to NSO Group's lobbying to be removed from sanctions and ICE's reactivated contract with Paragon Solutions.
- He criticized technology companies' alignment with the Trump administration and cited Palantir's government surveillance and military work.
- Deibert warned that AI-generated content and private influence-operation firms are amplifying disinformation aimed at civil society groups and vulnerable communities.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert warned at SecTor 2026 about commercial spyware, government surveillance, and AI-enabled disinformation, and criticized the Trump administration and technology executives.
- Impact
- Deibert said surveillance and AI-enabled disinformation threaten civil society organizations and vulnerable groups, including immigrants, refugees, journalists, human rights activists, and political activists. The article reports no quantified impact.
People
Alex KarpPalantir CEO whom Deibert criticized for promoting the company's government surveillance work and use of AI in military strikes abroad.David FriedmanNSO Group executive chairman; the article identifies him as Trump's former bankruptcy attorney and former US ambassador to Israel.Elon MuskTesla CEO whose photo appeared on a presentation slide titled “Techno-Fascism.”Jamal KhashoggiJournalist and political dissident whose friends and family members were reportedly targeted with Pegasus spyware.Marc AndreessenVenture capitalist whose photo appeared on a presentation slide titled “Techno-Fascism.”Mark ZuckerbergMeta co-founder and CEO whose photo appeared on a presentation slide titled “Techno-Fascism.”Peter ThielVenture capitalist whose photo appeared on a presentation slide titled “Techno-Fascism.”Robert SimondsHollywood producer who led a group of US investors that acquired NSO Group, according to the article.Ron DeibertCitizen Lab director who delivered the keynote and made the article's reported criticisms and warnings.Tim CookFormer Apple CEO cited by Deibert as having given Trump an expensive gold plaque.
Malware
Vendors
Applebig American tech platforms have actually sidled up to Donald Trump," he said, highlighting how former Apple CEO Tim Cook gave an expensive gold plaque to Trump last year.Intellexain recent years. These include the 2024 sanctions from the Biden administration against spyware company Intellexa and many of its executives. But Deibert suggested that those achievements may be a thing of the pastMetaslide titled "Techno-Fascism" that featured photos of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen.NSO GroupThese include the infamous use of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware against friends and family members of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post journalist and political dissident who was murdered in 2018 by agents allegedlyPalantirtechnology should be used by the government. Deibert singled out Alex Karp, CEO of AI analytics firm Palantir, who has promoted his company's involvement with expansive government surveillance as well as use of itsParagon Solutionsalso noted that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reactivated its contract with Paragon Solutions earlier this year; the contract was previously paused by former President Biden amid a crackdown onTeslahe said during his presentation, which included a slide titled "Techno-Fascism" that featured photos of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and venture
Products
Countries
Israelappointed David Friedman, President Trump's former bankruptcy attorney and former US ambassador to Israel, as its executive chairman.Italydocumented abuse of spyware technology against human rights activists, journalists, and dissidents, from Italy to the United Arab Emirates. But Deibert reserved his most scathing critiques for Canada's neighbor to theSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab Emiratesspyware technology against human rights activists, journalists, and dissidents, from Italy to the United Arab Emirates. But Deibert reserved his most scathing critiques for Canada's neighbor to the south, highlightingUnited States"I've been studying authoritarianism my entire life. Political science is my area of expertise. And what is going on in the United States ticks every single box," he told the audience.