● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 negative
California Judge Dismisses Spyware Lawsuit by Salvadoran Journalists Against NSO Group
Key points
- Lawsuit by El Faro journalists against NSO Group dismissed.
- Judge cited lack of jurisdiction in California.
- Journalists' devices infected with Pegasus spyware 226 times.
- Plaintiffs sought data deletion and client identification.
Lawsuit Dismissed on Jurisdictional Grounds
A California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Salvadoran journalists from the independent news outlet El Faro. The journalists alleged their devices were infected with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. The court's decision, issued on Wednesday, stated that the plaintiffs failed to establish jurisdiction in California.
Background of the Surveillance
Between June 2020 and November 2021, lead plaintiff Carlos Dada and his colleagues at El Faro were targeted by Pegasus spyware at least 226 times. The Knight First Amendment Institute filed the lawsuit on their behalf in November 2022. This case was the first filed against NSO Group in a U.S. court regarding Pegasus.
The journalists argued for California jurisdiction because the attacks reportedly leveraged compromised infrastructure located within the state. The surveillance intensified before the publication of major investigations by El Faro.
Implications for Plaintiffs
The dismissal represents a significant loss for the plaintiffs, though the Knight Institute plans to appeal the decision. Another judge had previously dismissed the case in March 2024, citing its "entirely foreign" nature and lack of standing in California. The journalists had sought a court order for NSO to delete all collected information and to identify the client responsible for the surveillance.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
A California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by Salvadoran journalists from El Faro against NSO Group, whose Pegasus spyware infected their devices. The court ruled it lacked jurisdiction in California, marking a setback for the plaintiffs who sought to compel NSO to delete collected data and identify the client behind the surveillance.