In a move to curb the misuse of commercial spyware, the US Department of State has announced its intention to impose visa restrictions on 13 individuals allegedly involved in the development and sale of such technology.

The Department of State stated that the targeted individuals have either facilitated or gained financial benefit from the misuse of commercial spyware, which has been used to surveil and intimidate individuals deemed critical of certain governments or ideologies. This misuse has not only infringed upon privacy rights but has also posed a threat to freedom of expression.

The US authorities didn’t disclose the names of the individuals subjected to visa restrictions.

The announcement follows the implementation of a new policy by the US government over two months ago, which aims to enforce visa constraints on individuals engaging in activities that could undermine privacy and freedom of expression.

In March 2024, the US authorities slapped sanctions on two individuals and five entities associated with the Intellexa Consortium for their role in developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware used to target government officials, journalists, and policy experts.