8 November 2024 – Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization WHO, briefed the UN Security Council, urging global action to address the growing crisis of Spyware misuse, particularly in relation to Healthcare. He highlighted the increasing vulnerability of healthcare systems and professionals, due to surveillance technologies that are often misused to track, intimidate, and undermine the work of health workers, especially in conflict zones or politically sensitive regions.

Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that Spyware and surveillance technologies, when deployed irresponsibly, represent a significant threat to public health efforts, especially in areas where access to healthcare is already limited. This issue, he argued, is not just a matter of privacy but a humanitarian concern that risks destabilizing healthcare systems and ultimately compromising the health and well-being of populations.

With advancements in generative Artificial Intelligence AI, spyware has now enhanced capabilities for capturing and analyzing Biometric Data, including audio, video, and physical characteristics. Such data can be processed to create AI-generated avatars and deepfakes, which can then be used for potentially harmful purposes.

In addressing the same issue, the Center for Global Studies (CGS) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) is drafting a comprehensive report on “Parliamentary Oversight of Spyware Use by State and Non-State Actors”, which aims at providing a framework for parliamentary action, to prevent its misuse, while safeguarding national and individual security.

PAM and CGS are deeply committed to addressing the ethical and societal challenges posed by the misuse of these tools, and supports global efforts to protect human rights in the face of emerging technological threats.

Learn more: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1m/k1mw7gk21u