Lawmakers Seek Sanctions Against Spyware Companies

Democrats want the Biden administration to designate more spyware technology companies for human rights abuses, saying this complements existing export restrictions meant to curb their sales of surveillance technology to authoritarian governments. Wednesday's letter to the Treasury and State Departments sought Magnitsky Act sanctions against United Arab Emirates-based DarkMatter, Israel-based NSO Group and European companies Nexa Technologies and Trovicor. Target the companies and their senior executives, asked House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks of New York, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden of Oregon, and 16 others including Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Hawaii's Brian Schatz and Reps. Anna Eshoo and Ro Khanna, both from California. State and Treasury declined to comment.