Civil Society Organizations Advocate for Stronger Human Rights Safeguards in Commercial Cyber Intrusion Industry
Over 25 civil society organizations and independent experts have submitted a joint proposal to the Pall Mall Process, an initiative led by the UK and France, which is currently developing Industry Guidelines for Commercial Cyber Intrusion Capabilities (CCICs), such as commercial spyware. The submission emphasizes the critical need for robust human rights and accountability safeguards within this industry. These organizations highlight that CCICs pose significant risks, including facilitating severe and irreversible human rights violations, not only through state misuse but also by lowering the barrier for non-state actors to acquire sophisticated intrusion tools. The harms are described as transnational, impacting national security, the rule of law, and human rights across borders. The submission calls for the guidelines to establish concrete limits, rather than mere aspirations, to prevent misuse and ensure accountability.
