19 Mar Controversial Group Behind Coronavirus Tracking App Has Crypto Ties
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The coronavirus crisis may highlight the overlap between the surveillance state and the cryptocurrency industry.
The Israeli tech company NSO Group, best known for selling spyware to Saudi Arabia and other governments, is reportedly working on a new product to monitor the spread of coronavirus. Nearly a dozen countries are testing the software, Bloomberg reported.
NSO Group’s surveillance technology has attracted widespread criticism from privacy-minded technologists in the crypto sector and beyond – for covertly accessing phones, activating cameras and collecting location data. Still, the company’s top ranks have significant ties to the blockchain industry, CoinDesk has learned.
Several NSO Group founders and investors are also funding blockchain companies. For example, co-founders Omri Lavie and Shalev Hulio have invested in the bitcoin startup Simplex, while NSO Group investor Eddy Shalev has invested in the non-custodial wallet startup Portis, the exchange platform eToro…
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