Elies Campo
@elies.org
Fellow CitizenLab. I like to build things. In love with the world, humanity, and its diversity. Formerly Growth, Business & Partnerships Telegram & WhatsApp.
Reposted by Elies Campo
On Dec 11, tune in for @rondeibert.bsky.social's conversation w/ @signal.org president @meredithmeredith.bsky.social about the critical lessons learned from the Signalgate scandal at @financialtimes.com #FTGlobalBoardroom conference.
Learn more: globalboardroom.ft.com/agenda/sessi...
Learn more: globalboardroom.ft.com/agenda/sessi...
November 17, 2025 at 10:19 PM
On Dec 11, tune in for @rondeibert.bsky.social's conversation w/ @signal.org president @meredithmeredith.bsky.social about the critical lessons learned from the Signalgate scandal at @financialtimes.com #FTGlobalBoardroom conference.
Learn more: globalboardroom.ft.com/agenda/sessi...
Learn more: globalboardroom.ft.com/agenda/sessi...
Reposted by Elies Campo
For over a decade, we @citizenlab.ca have documented extensive abuse of NSO Group's spyware, including being used to target political opposition, journalists, activists, human rights defenders and US govt officials.
*This sale should not be permitted*
techcrunch.com/2025/10/10/s...
*This sale should not be permitted*
techcrunch.com/2025/10/10/s...
Spyware maker NSO Group confirms acquisition by US investors | TechCrunch
NSO Group confirmed to TechCrunch that an unnamed group of American investors has taken “controlling ownership” of the surveillance tech maker.
techcrunch.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:26 PM
For over a decade, we @citizenlab.ca have documented extensive abuse of NSO Group's spyware, including being used to target political opposition, journalists, activists, human rights defenders and US govt officials.
*This sale should not be permitted*
techcrunch.com/2025/10/10/s...
*This sale should not be permitted*
techcrunch.com/2025/10/10/s...
Apple just doubled its top bug bounty: $2M for critical iPhone exploits, up to $5M with bonuses for Lockdown Mode bypasses or beta-phase finds. A clear response to the mercenary spyware booming economy & perhaps an incentive for responsible disclosure.
www.wired.com/story/apple-...
www.wired.com/story/apple-...
Apple Announces $2 Million Bug Bounty Reward for the Most Dangerous Exploits
With the mercenary spyware industry booming, Apple VP Ivan Krstić tells WIRED that the company is also offering bonuses that could bring the max total reward for iPhone exploits to $5 million.
www.wired.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Apple just doubled its top bug bounty: $2M for critical iPhone exploits, up to $5M with bonuses for Lockdown Mode bypasses or beta-phase finds. A clear response to the mercenary spyware booming economy & perhaps an incentive for responsible disclosure.
www.wired.com/story/apple-...
www.wired.com/story/apple-...
Reposted by Elies Campo
Jens Spahn hat sich gerade zur #Chatkontrolle geäußert: "Wir als CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion sind gegen die anlasslose Kontrolle von Chats. Das wäre so, als würde man vorsorglich mal alle Briefe öffnen und schauen, ob da etwas Verbotenes drin ist. Das geht nicht, das wird es mit uns nicht geben." 1/x
October 7, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Jens Spahn hat sich gerade zur #Chatkontrolle geäußert: "Wir als CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion sind gegen die anlasslose Kontrolle von Chats. Das wäre so, als würde man vorsorglich mal alle Briefe öffnen und schauen, ob da etwas Verbotenes drin ist. Das geht nicht, das wird es mit uns nicht geben." 1/x
Reposted by Elies Campo
🇩🇪 Germany is AGAINST Chat Control:
Jens Spahn: "We as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are against indiscriminate monitoring of chats. That would be like preemptively opening all letters to check whether there's something illegal in them. That's not acceptable, that won't happen under our watch."
Jens Spahn: "We as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are against indiscriminate monitoring of chats. That would be like preemptively opening all letters to check whether there's something illegal in them. That's not acceptable, that won't happen under our watch."
October 7, 2025 at 6:09 PM
🇩🇪 Germany is AGAINST Chat Control:
Jens Spahn: "We as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are against indiscriminate monitoring of chats. That would be like preemptively opening all letters to check whether there's something illegal in them. That's not acceptable, that won't happen under our watch."
Jens Spahn: "We as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are against indiscriminate monitoring of chats. That would be like preemptively opening all letters to check whether there's something illegal in them. That's not acceptable, that won't happen under our watch."
Reposted by Elies Campo
The Sagrada Família Takes Its Final Shape
#HackerNews
<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch
#HackerNews
<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch
September 18, 2025 at 10:16 PM
The Sagrada Família Takes Its Final Shape
#HackerNews
<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch
#HackerNews
<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/22/is-the-sagrada-familia-a-masterpiece-or-kitsch
Reposted by Elies Campo
In this week’s Style & Design Issue, D. T. Max writes about the slow becoming of one of the world’s most unusual—and soon to be tallest—churches: the Sagrada Família.
Is the Sagrada Família a Masterpiece or Kitsch?
In the century since Antoni Gaudí died, his wild design has been obsessively realized, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
www.newyorker.com
September 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
In this week’s Style & Design Issue, D. T. Max writes about the slow becoming of one of the world’s most unusual—and soon to be tallest—churches: the Sagrada Família.
Reposted by Elies Campo
💬 «Ils ont cru les promesses de Mark Zuckerberg»
📱 A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp il y a onze ans, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à Libé les coulisses du rachat en 2014 :
📱 A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp il y a onze ans, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à Libé les coulisses du rachat en 2014 :
«Ils ont cru les promesses de Mark Zuckerberg» : un ex-employé de WhatsApp dévoile les coulisses du rachat en 2014
A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp en 2014, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à «Libé» les dessous de l’acquisition. Entre annonce surprise et promesses non tenues.
www.liberation.fr
April 20, 2025 at 2:31 PM
💬 «Ils ont cru les promesses de Mark Zuckerberg»
📱 A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp il y a onze ans, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à Libé les coulisses du rachat en 2014 :
📱 A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp il y a onze ans, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à Libé les coulisses du rachat en 2014 :
Reposted by Elies Campo
The Sagrada Família is an immense, unfinished church in Barcelona, begun in 1882—“a famously slow project, even in a country where, to American eyes, many things move without haste,” D. T. Max writes.
Is the Sagrada Família a Masterpiece or Kitsch?
In the century since Antoni Gaudí died, his wild design has been obsessively realized, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
www.newyorker.com
September 15, 2025 at 10:36 PM
The Sagrada Família is an immense, unfinished church in Barcelona, begun in 1882—“a famously slow project, even in a country where, to American eyes, many things move without haste,” D. T. Max writes.
Reposted by Elies Campo
“…millions in EU subsidies and taxpayer money in member states are supporting an industry criticised for undermining democracy and freedom of speech”.
www.ftm.eu/articles/spy...
www.ftm.eu/articles/spy...
Spyware industry pockets EU subsidies while snooping on its citizens
The widespread use of commercial spyware for unlawful surveillance across Europe has raised alarm – but the funding of such tools has largely gone under the radar. Follow the Money can reveal how mill...
www.ftm.eu
September 16, 2025 at 8:18 AM
“…millions in EU subsidies and taxpayer money in member states are supporting an industry criticised for undermining democracy and freedom of speech”.
www.ftm.eu/articles/spy...
www.ftm.eu/articles/spy...
Reposted by Elies Campo
Antoni Gaudí’s wild design for the Sagrada Família, begun nearly 150 years ago, has been obsessively realized over time, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
Is the Sagrada Família a Masterpiece or Kitsch?
In the century since Antoni Gaudí died, his wild design has been obsessively realized, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
www.newyorker.com
September 15, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Antoni Gaudí’s wild design for the Sagrada Família, begun nearly 150 years ago, has been obsessively realized over time, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
Reposted by Elies Campo
thanks anne—and we're not done.
if you're considering subscribing to WIRED and still on the fence, this year, we also dropped paywalls for FOIA-based reporting (and some guides).
so, here is a 🧵 of some unpaywalled articles (which includes some of our most important work)!
if you're considering subscribing to WIRED and still on the fence, this year, we also dropped paywalls for FOIA-based reporting (and some guides).
so, here is a 🧵 of some unpaywalled articles (which includes some of our most important work)!
July 23, 2025 at 2:07 PM
thanks anne—and we're not done.
if you're considering subscribing to WIRED and still on the fence, this year, we also dropped paywalls for FOIA-based reporting (and some guides).
so, here is a 🧵 of some unpaywalled articles (which includes some of our most important work)!
if you're considering subscribing to WIRED and still on the fence, this year, we also dropped paywalls for FOIA-based reporting (and some guides).
so, here is a 🧵 of some unpaywalled articles (which includes some of our most important work)!
Reposted by Elies Campo
NEW: 🇩🇪#Germany's top court says spyware severely violates fundamental rights.
Bans spyware in cases with <3year sentences.
Imposes tough proportionality tests. Restricts #spyware to serious cases.
Very interesting 1/
www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/P...
Bans spyware in cases with <3year sentences.
Imposes tough proportionality tests. Restricts #spyware to serious cases.
Very interesting 1/
www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/P...
August 8, 2025 at 4:55 PM
NEW: 🇩🇪#Germany's top court says spyware severely violates fundamental rights.
Bans spyware in cases with <3year sentences.
Imposes tough proportionality tests. Restricts #spyware to serious cases.
Very interesting 1/
www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/P...
Bans spyware in cases with <3year sentences.
Imposes tough proportionality tests. Restricts #spyware to serious cases.
Very interesting 1/
www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/P...
Reposted by Elies Campo
NEW: I spoke to @rondeibert.bsky.social ahead of his keynote at Black Hat today.
Ron travelled to Vegas to warn the cybersec industry that perhaps it’s time to get political.
“They should be aware of what’s going on and hopefully they can not contribute to it, if not help reverse it,” he said.
Ron travelled to Vegas to warn the cybersec industry that perhaps it’s time to get political.
“They should be aware of what’s going on and hopefully they can not contribute to it, if not help reverse it,” he said.
Citizen Lab director warns cyber industry about US authoritarian descent | TechCrunch
Ron Deibert, the head of the prominent digital human rights groups Citizen Lab, sounds the alarm at the Black Hat security conference about the "dramatic descent into authoritarianism," but one that t...
techcrunch.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:17 PM
NEW: I spoke to @rondeibert.bsky.social ahead of his keynote at Black Hat today.
Ron travelled to Vegas to warn the cybersec industry that perhaps it’s time to get political.
“They should be aware of what’s going on and hopefully they can not contribute to it, if not help reverse it,” he said.
Ron travelled to Vegas to warn the cybersec industry that perhaps it’s time to get political.
“They should be aware of what’s going on and hopefully they can not contribute to it, if not help reverse it,” he said.
Reposted by Elies Campo
Here's an article from Citizen Lab on how the Spanish government used exploits against political opponents in Catalonia:
citizenlab.ca/2022/04/cata...
Bear in mind even police using these will almost entirely be using them against people not convicted of a crime based on suspicion.
citizenlab.ca/2022/04/cata...
Bear in mind even police using these will almost entirely be using them against people not convicted of a crime based on suspicion.
CatalanGate: Extensive Mercenary Spyware Operation against Catalans Using Pegasus and Candiru - The Citizen Lab
The Citizen Lab, in collaboration with Catalan civil society groups, has identified at least 65 individuals targeted or infected with mercenary spyware, including members of the European Parliament, C...
citizenlab.ca
July 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Here's an article from Citizen Lab on how the Spanish government used exploits against political opponents in Catalonia:
citizenlab.ca/2022/04/cata...
Bear in mind even police using these will almost entirely be using them against people not convicted of a crime based on suspicion.
citizenlab.ca/2022/04/cata...
Bear in mind even police using these will almost entirely be using them against people not convicted of a crime based on suspicion.
Reposted by Elies Campo
European authoritarians and their enablers in the media are misrepresenting GrapheneOS and even Pixel phones as if they're something for criminals. GrapheneOS is opposed to the mass surveillance police state these people want to impose on everyone.
www.xatakandroid.com/sociedad/cad...
www.xatakandroid.com/sociedad/cad...
"Cada vez que vemos un Google Pixel pensamos que puede ser un narcotraficante". Es el móvil perfecto para el crimen por un motivo
Los Google Pixel son los máximos representantes de Android, con permiso de Samsung. Es por ello que convencen a los usuarios entusiastas del sistema...
www.xatakandroid.com
July 2, 2025 at 4:00 PM
European authoritarians and their enablers in the media are misrepresenting GrapheneOS and even Pixel phones as if they're something for criminals. GrapheneOS is opposed to the mass surveillance police state these people want to impose on everyone.
www.xatakandroid.com/sociedad/cad...
www.xatakandroid.com/sociedad/cad...
Reposted by Elies Campo
I was encouraged to see the #G7 Leaders' Statement on Transnational Repression which also calls out mitigating harms around mercenary spyware 👇🇨🇦
www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...
www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...
June 18, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I was encouraged to see the #G7 Leaders' Statement on Transnational Repression which also calls out mitigating harms around mercenary spyware 👇🇨🇦
www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...
www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...
Reposted by Elies Campo
Reposted by Elies Campo
Catalan spyware victims — including the region's former President Artur Mas — this week announced new court challenges against Spanish security services and Israeli surveillance software vendors.
Catalonia reignites its court fight with Spain over spyware
Former Catalan president among those seeking retribution for political hacking scandal revealed in 2022.
ow.ly
May 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Catalan spyware victims — including the region's former President Artur Mas — this week announced new court challenges against Spanish security services and Israeli surveillance software vendors.
Reposted by Elies Campo
In a stunning defeat for the #spyware industry, an Oakland jury has directed Pegasus maker NSO Group to pay Meta's WhatsApp $167 million in punitive damages for routing its attacks through the company's servers. GIFT LINK wapo.st/4jLGYKz
Spyware maker NSO ordered to pay $167 million for hacking WhatsApp
Jury hits NSO with punitive damages after first public legal reckoning for Israel-based maker of spy software banned from use in U.S.
wapo.st
May 6, 2025 at 9:09 PM
In a stunning defeat for the #spyware industry, an Oakland jury has directed Pegasus maker NSO Group to pay Meta's WhatsApp $167 million in punitive damages for routing its attacks through the company's servers. GIFT LINK wapo.st/4jLGYKz
Reposted by Elies Campo
NSO to pay almost 168 million in damages!
Congrats to WhatsApp on this historic (yes, historic) jury verdict against NSO Group!
This is also a win for all the researchers, advocates & victims who have been tirelessly exposing NSO's abuses & advocating for justice!
www.accessnow.org/press-releas...
Congrats to WhatsApp on this historic (yes, historic) jury verdict against NSO Group!
This is also a win for all the researchers, advocates & victims who have been tirelessly exposing NSO's abuses & advocating for justice!
www.accessnow.org/press-releas...
NSO Fined $168 Million for Pegasus Spyware Attack on WhatsApp
In a landmark verdict, NSO Group must pay almost $168 million in damages for using Pegasus spyware to target WhatsApp.
www.accessnow.org
May 6, 2025 at 10:45 PM
NSO to pay almost 168 million in damages!
Congrats to WhatsApp on this historic (yes, historic) jury verdict against NSO Group!
This is also a win for all the researchers, advocates & victims who have been tirelessly exposing NSO's abuses & advocating for justice!
www.accessnow.org/press-releas...
Congrats to WhatsApp on this historic (yes, historic) jury verdict against NSO Group!
This is also a win for all the researchers, advocates & victims who have been tirelessly exposing NSO's abuses & advocating for justice!
www.accessnow.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Elies Campo
🧵 1/ Following our #JUICYJAM report @citizenlab.ca , the Thai authorities admit that the documents leaked to parliament - the ones containing evidence that they were running a longstanding IO using doxxing and harassment to target activists - were real. But *deny involvement in the IOs themselves*.
Thai Enquirer on X: "The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has admitted to monitoring and profiling individuals and groups for national security purposes but denied using disinformation or launching cyberattacks as part of its information operations (IO). Leaked documents submitted to the https://t.co/yHeO0TdDA2" / X
The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has admitted to monitoring and profiling individuals and groups for national security purposes but denied using disinformation or launching cyberattacks as part of its information operations (IO). Leaked documents submitted to the https://t.co/yHeO0TdDA2
x.com
May 2, 2025 at 12:42 PM
🧵 1/ Following our #JUICYJAM report @citizenlab.ca , the Thai authorities admit that the documents leaked to parliament - the ones containing evidence that they were running a longstanding IO using doxxing and harassment to target activists - were real. But *deny involvement in the IOs themselves*.
Reposted by Elies Campo
“Digital Authoritarianism and the Fight for Democracy,” 5/7, 6-8pm ET, at @columbiajournalism.bsky.social. Sheila Coronel, Ron Deibert, & Jameel Jaffer on the rise of authoritarianism, new surveillance tools, & legal regimes that fail to keep up w/ tech.
RSVP:
knightcolumbia.org/events/digit...
RSVP:
knightcolumbia.org/events/digit...
Digital Authoritarianism and the Fight for Democracy
knightcolumbia.org
April 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM
“Digital Authoritarianism and the Fight for Democracy,” 5/7, 6-8pm ET, at @columbiajournalism.bsky.social. Sheila Coronel, Ron Deibert, & Jameel Jaffer on the rise of authoritarianism, new surveillance tools, & legal regimes that fail to keep up w/ tech.
RSVP:
knightcolumbia.org/events/digit...
RSVP:
knightcolumbia.org/events/digit...
Mercenary spyware + ADINT data-brokers let dictators buy a 24/7 window into any leader’s life.
"SignalGate should serve as a wake-up call to rein in the mercenary surveillance industry."
Read @rondeibert.bsky.social's
@foreignaffairs.com essay for why it urgently matters.
"SignalGate should serve as a wake-up call to rein in the mercenary surveillance industry."
Read @rondeibert.bsky.social's
@foreignaffairs.com essay for why it urgently matters.
“Were any of the Houthi Signal group members compromised at the time they discussed the Yemen attack plans? Frankly, it would be shocking if they were not.”
Read @rondeibert.bsky.social on the security risks posed by personal devices:
Read @rondeibert.bsky.social on the security risks posed by personal devices:
The Real Lesson of SignalGate
A surveillance arms race has poked a gaping hole in national security.
www.foreignaffairs.com
April 25, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Mercenary spyware + ADINT data-brokers let dictators buy a 24/7 window into any leader’s life.
"SignalGate should serve as a wake-up call to rein in the mercenary surveillance industry."
Read @rondeibert.bsky.social's
@foreignaffairs.com essay for why it urgently matters.
"SignalGate should serve as a wake-up call to rein in the mercenary surveillance industry."
Read @rondeibert.bsky.social's
@foreignaffairs.com essay for why it urgently matters.
Reposted by Elies Campo
If EU governments were serious about ending the abuse of spyware, they could simply adopt binding EU legislation, as recommended by @europarl.europa.eu #PEGA. The abuse of spyware is ongoing in the EU, and past abuse has been covered up. With tacit agreement of ALL national governments.
A joint diplomatic initiative by 🇫🇷 & 🇬🇧 govts to tackle “the proliferation & irresponsible use” of commercial hacking tools is hoping to announce its participants have agreed new rules on the technologies involved in Paris this week, writes @alexmartin.bsky.social.
therecord.media/paris-pall-m...
therecord.media/paris-pall-m...
Paris set to host difficult negotiations on tackling commercial hacking tools
This week in Paris, the diplomatic initiative formerly known as the Pall Mall Process will continue to look for international agreement on thorny issues related to hacking tools known as commercial cy...
therecord.media
April 3, 2025 at 6:26 AM
If EU governments were serious about ending the abuse of spyware, they could simply adopt binding EU legislation, as recommended by @europarl.europa.eu #PEGA. The abuse of spyware is ongoing in the EU, and past abuse has been covered up. With tacit agreement of ALL national governments.