Computer security

Italy Ends Paragon Spyware Contract Amid Surveillance Scandal

JUN 10 2025·Updated JUN 11 2025

Story

Above: The WhatsApp logotype displayed on a smartphone on June 7, 2025. Image credit: Silas Stein/Contributor/picture alliance via Getty Images

The Facts

Italy terminated its contracts with Israeli spyware company Paragon following allegations that the surveillance technology was used against government critics, including journalists and migrant rescue workers, according to a parliamentary report released Monday by the intelligence oversight committee COPASIR.
Al Jazeera
Timesofisrael
Meta's WhatsApp revealed in January that Paragon's spyware had been deployed against approximately 90 users globally, including Italian journalist Francesco Cancellato and members of the migrant rescue organization Mediterranea, which has frequently criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government.
Al Jazeera
TechCrunch
The Italian government acknowledged that seven Italians were targeted by the spyware but maintained that any surveillance was lawful and conducted under judicial authorization while denying engagement in illicit spying activities and tasking the National Cybersecurity Agency with reviewing the matter.
Al Jazeera
TRT Global
Italy's intelligence services activated contracts with Paragon in 2023 and 2024 to monitor individuals in connection with criminal investigations including suspected terrorism, people smuggling, espionage, fuel smuggling, and counter-intelligence activities, according to the COPASIR report.
Al Mayadeen English
Timesofisrael
Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, Meloni's intelligence coordinator, authorized the use of Paragon spyware on Mediterranea activists Luca Casarini and Beppe Caccia on Sept. 5, 2024, with surveillance justified by their suspected links to irregular migration rather than their humanitarian activism.
Al Jazeera
Cybernews
A Sicilian court ordered six Mediterranea members, including Casarini and Caccia, to stand trial on charges of aiding illegal immigration, marking the first prosecution of rescue vessel crew members in Italy, while all defendants deny wrongdoing and human rights groups denounce the case as politically motivated.
TRT Global
Ctech

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This scandal exposes the Italian government's authoritarian tendencies, using sophisticated spyware to silence critics and humanitarian workers who challenge its harsh immigration policies. The targeting of journalists and migrant rescuers represents a dangerous assault on press freedom and human rights activism. Opposition parties and media freedom advocates rightfully demand a full parliamentary investigation into these surveillance abuses.

TechCrunch

Ctech

Narrative B

This is a difficult spot for the Italian government in this complex situation. Ultimately, the Italian government terminated the Paragon contract after allegations surfaced. The government has denied any illicit activities and engaged cybersecurity agencies to investigate the matter. The Italian case will be remembered as a turning point in the global Paragon story.