If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Irish police could soon be granted the legal authority to infiltrate phones and encrypted messaging services under new government legislation that would formally approve the use of spyware. The proposal, contained in the forthcoming Communications (Interception and Lawful Access) Bill, has provoked concern among civil rights groups who say the plan risks eroding basic digital privacy. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has said the new powers are “long overdue,” arguing that they are necessary to deal with organised crime and national security threats that rely on encrypted communications. The plan would, for the first time, provide An Garda Síochána (the main law enforcement and security agency in the state) with a legal basis for using what the government calls “covert surveillance software” to monitor devices. This could include collecting information from phones or laptops, recording communications, or interfering with computer networks thought to be used for unlawful purposes. Officials have indicated that similar powers exist in other countries, though reports suggest the technology under consideration resembles Pegasus, the Israeli-made spyware that was unlawfully used by police to monitor citizens and foreign nationals. The Department of Justice has said any use of such spyware would be subject to strict judicial authorization. Under the Bill, investigators could access both the content of communications and the associated “metadata,” which records who contacted whom, when, and from where. Agencies would also have to declare whether any privileged material, such as communications involving journalists or lawyers, might be affected by their applications. Officials continue to present the legislation as a practical response to modern crime. Yet this framing ignores what is actually at stake: a quiet authorization for state hacking of private devices. For years, Ireland has criticized other nations for digital overreach, from the misuse of facial recognition abroad to the abuse of spyware uncovered in Europe. Now, its own government is preparing to legalize similar tools under the banner of security. The right to communicate privately is one of the last real protections citizens have from constant scrutiny. If this Bill passes in its current form, that protection could quietly disappear, not through scandal or crisis, but through a line in legislation that makes surveillance a normal feature of everyday life. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Ireland Moves to Legalize Spyware Use by Police appeared first on Reclaim The Net.