Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

How governments use spyware to monitor citizens’ phones

Season 2024 Episode 344 | 7m 16s

This past week, the White House detailed the scope of a massive Chinese hacking campaign that reaped information from American cell phone networks. But an HBO original documentary, “Surveilled,” says some governments use commercial spyware to monitor their own citizens. To learn more, John Yang speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, who produced the documentary.

Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by Consumer Cellular and Cunard Cruise Line. For a complete list of funders for the PBS NewsHour and PBS NewsHour weekend, click here.
Extras
Riley Downing sings about the overlooked corners of American life in 'Landfill Poetry'
Brooks and Capehart on Trump's 'forever trade war'
National parks under strain from Trump's construction projects and political pressure
News Wrap: Friday marks 6 months since Iran war started
Groundbreaking treatments and vaccines offer hope in fight against cancer
Devastating scale of Himalayan floods comes into focus as rescuers arrive
Fed Chair Warsh not ruling out interest rate hike amid inflation concerns
August 28, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
August 27, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
How melting glaciers contributed to the flooding disaster in the Himalayas