Paragon Solutions, a startup that sells access to surveillance technologies, has severed its ties with the Italian government after it was discovered that the government had used the company's spyware to target journalists and human rights activists. According to reports in The Guardian and Haaretz, Paragon suspended its contract with Italy on Friday and later terminated it on Wednesday, citing a breach of the terms of service and ethical framework.

The decision came after WhatsApp revealed a hacking campaign that leveraged Paragon's spyware to target around 90 individuals, including journalists and human rights activists. The Italian government had allegedly used the spyware to surveil its critics, including Francesco Cancellato, the director of news website Fanpage.it, who had published a damning documentary investigation into the youth wing of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's far-right party.

Other victims of the spyware campaign include Husam El Gomati, a Libyan activist who lives in Sweden and has been critical of the Italian and Libyan government's dealings to stop immigrants from crossing the Mediterranean, and Luca Casarini, the co-founder of Mediterranea Saving Humans, a non-government organization that helps immigrants. The Italian government has denied any involvement in the spyware campaign, with the Prime Minister's office stating that legally protected subjects, including journalists, were not targeted by Italian intelligence services.

Paragon's CEO and co-founder Idan Nurick declined to comment on the Italian cases, as well as WhatsApp's allegations, saying "I don't talk about our customers and activity." The company's U.S. subsidiary's executive chairman John Fleming also did not respond to a request for comment. However, Fleming had previously stated that Paragon "requires that all users agree to terms and conditions that explicitly prohibit the illicit targeting of journalists and other civil society figures."

Fleming added that the company has a zero-tolerance policy against such targeting and will terminate its relationship with any customer that violates its terms of service. It appears that in the case of its Italian customers, Paragon followed through with its policy. The incident raises concerns about the use of surveillance technologies by governments to target critics and suppress dissent.

The Italian government has contacted WhatsApp inquiring about the company's claims, and WhatsApp has reportedly said that among the targets there were phone users in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. None of these countries' governments responded to requests for comment.

The incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the use of surveillance technologies. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of companies like Paragon in policing the use of their products and ensuring that they are not used to violate human rights.

As the story continues to unfold, it is likely that more victims will be revealed, and the full extent of the spyware campaign will become clearer. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting privacy and freedom of expression in the digital age.