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Today, Explained

Democratizing spying

Today, Explained

Vox

News, Daily News, Politics

4.3 • 10.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 February 2023

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“Zero-click spyware” is making it easier for governments to get their hands on individuals’ personal data. New York Times investigative reporter Mark Mazzetti says that when it comes to spyware, the United States is both an arsonist and a firefighter. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Efim Shapiro, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Everyone's talking about balloons and UFOs in the sky, but when you talk to people who investigate all the creepy ways we spy on each other,

0:07.0

you know what they're concerned about?

0:09.0

Spi-ware.

0:13.0

The spyware industry is booming, and it's getting way more sophisticated, like there now exists technology that can hack somebody's phone

0:20.0

without them even needing to click some deceptive link.

0:24.0

There are other more powerful tools that the Chinese government and other governments around the world have access to gain data,

0:34.0

not only about the US government and missile silos, but about individuals and their behaviors and their personal lives.

0:40.0

And these are just as important for the discussion as surveillance tools of a government to spy on other governments.

0:48.0

Spi-ware. Everywhere. All at once. Coming up on today's blend.

1:00.0

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1:30.0

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...

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