Original version

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Assignment

Factual

Investigations and journeys into the heart of global events from BBC correspondents.

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

Assignment: The spy in your pocket

Documentaries

News

Electronic eye

25/07/2019 GMT

The spy in your pocket

BBC World Service - Assignment, The spy in your pocket

How sophisticated spy-ware can be used to track our everyday activities. Who is watching?

How surveillance software designed to track drug-dealers and terrorists is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and lawyers carrying out legitimate activities.

Anti-obesity campaigners in Mexico, human rights advocates in London, and friends of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi all claim they have been targeted by surveillance software normally used by law enforcement to track drug-dealers and terrorists. Assignment reveals compelling evidence that software is being used to track the work of journalists, activists and lawyers around the world. Paul Kenyon investigates the multi-billion pound “lawful surveillance” industry. 

Sophisticated software can allow hackers to remotely install spyware on their targets’ phones. This gives them access to everything on the devices – including encrypted messages – and even allows them to control the microphone and camera. So what are the options for those who are targeted and is there any way to control the development and use of commercially available software?

Presenter: Paul Kenyon
Producer: Joe Kent

(Photo: Electronic eye. Credit Valery Brozhinsky/Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Assignment

The spy in your pocket

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

About BBC World Service