Facebook joined by human rights groups to fight spyware maker

Facebook last year initiated the lawsuit against NSO Group. — AFP

A coalition of human rights and press freedom groups have filed a brief supporting Facebook Inc’s lawsuit against the Israeli surveillance technology company NSO Group, arguing that the "very core of the principles that America represents” are at stake in the case.

Facebook last year initiated the lawsuit against NSO Group, accusing the company of reverse-engineering WhatsApp and using the popular chat service to send spyware to the devices of approximately 1,400 people, including attorneys, journalists, human rights activists, government officials and others. Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014.