Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 1: Luis Fernando Garcia, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Jennifer Brody, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Rand Hammoud, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Speaker 2: Jennifer Brody, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Rand Hammoud, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The roundtable format and 90-minute duration are essential to ensuring an interactive and engaging discussion, particularly in a hybrid setting. The roundtable layout fosters direct exchange among participants, allowing for diverse viewpoints from policymakers, civil society, and technologists to emerge organically. This format also supports collaborative problem-solving, aligning with the workshop’s goal of identifying strategies to close spyware-related policy gaps. The 90-minute duration ensures a well-structured session with three key parts: (1) scene-setting with expert insights on spyware policy challenges, (2) facilitated discussion on policy responses and advocacy strategies, and (3) an open forum for participants to explore opportunities to leverage existing mechanisms. This structure provides ample time for meaningful engagement while maintaining momentum. The hybrid setup ensures remote participants can actively contribute, making the session truly inclusive and reflective of global perspectives on spyware regulation and accountability.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The roundtable format and 90-minute duration are essential to ensuring an interactive and engaging discussion, particularly in a hybrid setting. The roundtable layout fosters direct exchange among participants, allowing for diverse viewpoints from policymakers, civil society, and technologists to emerge organically. This format also supports collaborative problem-solving, aligning with the workshop’s goal of identifying strategies to close spyware-related policy gaps. The 90-minute duration ensures a well-structured session with three key parts: (1) scene-setting with expert insights on spyware policy challenges, (2) facilitated discussion on policy responses and advocacy strategies, and (3) an open forum for participants to explore opportunities to leverage existing mechanisms. This structure provides ample time for meaningful engagement while maintaining momentum. The hybrid setup ensures remote participants can actively contribute, making the session truly inclusive and reflective of global perspectives on spyware regulation and accountability.
Policy Question(s)
How can governments and international bodies close regulatory gaps that allow spyware vendors and abusers to operate with impunity?
What lessons can be drawn from existing national and multilateral initiatives (e.g., the US Joint Statement, Pall Mall Process) to build stronger global accountability mechanisms for spyware use and trade?
How can civil society, journalists, and policymakers collaborate more effectively to push for stronger enforcement of spyware-related regulations and protect those most at risk of surveillance abuses?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the spyware threat landscape, including its impact on human rights, rule of law, and transnational repression. They will hear diverse perspectives from policymakers, civil society, and technologists, providing insight into the fragmented policy responses and ongoing multilateral efforts.
Through interactive discussions, attendees will explore regulatory gaps and exchange strategies for advocacy and policymaking at national and international levels. They will leave with practical knowledge on existing legal and policy tools, as well as ideas on how to strengthen accountability mechanisms and counter spyware abuses.
The session will also foster networking and collaboration, equipping participants with new connections and concrete next steps to drive action within their respective fields.
SDGs
Description:
The widespread use of spyware has emerged as a critical threat to human rights, the rule of law, and digital sovereignty. State and non-state actors employ these technologies for surveillance, repression, and control, often targeting journalists, human rights defenders, dissenting voices, and marginalized communities. Notably, surveillance is increasingly recognized as a form of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TfGBV). In particular, women, young human rights defenders, and journalists face disproportionate risks, including harassment, violation of privacy, and human rights abuses. Despite these dangers, policy responses remain fragmented, with loopholes that allow spyware vendors and abusers to operate with impunity. This interactive workshop will bring together policymakers, civil society, and technologists to discuss advancing spyware regulation and accountability. The session will be divided into three parts: Setting the stage: A brief overview of current multilateral efforts (e.g., the US Joint Statement, the Pall Mall Process) and national regulatory approaches to provide a shared understanding of the policy landscape. Moderators will also share a new reporting template civil society can leverage to help equip government decision-makers with the information they need to hold spyware mercenaries accountable. Interactive discussion: Participants will reflect on key policy questions, exploring how governments, international bodies, and civil society can collaborate to close regulatory gaps and push for stronger accountability measures. Open forum on next steps: Participants will discuss how to leverage existing opportunities at national and international levels to advance regulatory action and strengthen enforcement mechanisms. By fostering a space for collaborative problem-solving, this session aims to identify concrete pathways for advocacy and policy change to hold the spyware industry accountable, with a specific focus on protecting women and vulnerable communities from surveillance-driven violence.
The widespread use of spyware has emerged as a critical threat to human rights, the rule of law, and digital sovereignty. State and non-state actors employ these technologies for surveillance, repression, and control, often targeting journalists, human rights defenders, dissenting voices, and marginalized communities. Notably, surveillance is increasingly recognized as a form of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TfGBV). In particular, women, young human rights defenders, and journalists face disproportionate risks, including harassment, violation of privacy, and human rights abuses. Despite these dangers, policy responses remain fragmented, with loopholes that allow spyware vendors and abusers to operate with impunity. This interactive workshop will bring together policymakers, civil society, and technologists to discuss advancing spyware regulation and accountability. The session will be divided into three parts: Setting the stage: A brief overview of current multilateral efforts (e.g., the US Joint Statement, the Pall Mall Process) and national regulatory approaches to provide a shared understanding of the policy landscape. Moderators will also share a new reporting template civil society can leverage to help equip government decision-makers with the information they need to hold spyware mercenaries accountable. Interactive discussion: Participants will reflect on key policy questions, exploring how governments, international bodies, and civil society can collaborate to close regulatory gaps and push for stronger accountability measures. Open forum on next steps: Participants will discuss how to leverage existing opportunities at national and international levels to advance regulatory action and strengthen enforcement mechanisms. By fostering a space for collaborative problem-solving, this session aims to identify concrete pathways for advocacy and policy change to hold the spyware industry accountable, with a specific focus on protecting women and vulnerable communities from surveillance-driven violence.
Expected Outcomes
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of global spyware threats, policy gaps, and ongoing multilateral efforts. A key outcome is familiarity with a new reporting template that helps civil society document spyware cases and report in the language government stakeholders understand , strengthening advocacy efforts. This resource could be incorporated into a broader civil society toolkit for spyware accountability.
Through interactive discussions, participants will identify priority areas for policy reform and explore strategies to close regulatory loopholes and enhance accountability mechanisms. The session will also foster networking and collaboration, creating opportunities for joint advocacy initiatives with policymakers, civil society, and technologists.
Hybrid Format: To facilitate interaction between onsite and online speakers and attendees, we are actively considering a hybrid-friendly roundtable format with a mix of live Q&A, real-time polling, and discussion prompts to ensure engagement across both groups. Depending on the available setup, speakers and participants would interact via moderated chats and video conferencing tools, allowing for seamless contributions from all locations. To ensure the best experience for both groups, we are exploring options like split-screen technology for visual inclusivity and would have moderators facilitating active participation from remote attendees. Onsite participants would also be encouraged to contribute digitally, ensuring their input is integrated into real-time discussions. The organizers have ample experience with hybrid events and are confident in bringing this experience to the session.