At a SecTor 2026 keynote in Toronto, Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert warned that US government policy and major technology companies are helping drive commercial spyware and surveillance. He described the political direction he sees as “techno-fascism”—his characterization, not an established technical or legal classification.
What Deibert said at SecTor 2026
Deibert delivered the keynote at the Toronto security conference, held October 6–8, 2026. In its October 7 account, Dark Reading reported that he argued the US government and technology companies are contributing to the growth of commercial spyware and surveillance.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dark Reading quoted Deibert saying: “I’ve been studying authoritarianism my entire life. Political science is my area of expertise. And what is going on in the United States ticks every single box.” The quotation reflects his assessment; the account reports his remarks rather than independently establishing that political conclusion. SC Media published an October 8 brief summarizing the warning and identifying Dark Reading as its source.
Why spyware was central to his warning
Deibert pointed to Citizen Lab investigations of commercial spyware, including NSO Group’s Pegasus. Dark Reading reported that Pegasus had been used against people connected to journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was murdered in 2018 by agents allegedly working on behalf of the Saudi Arabian government; the report’s account should not be read as proof that spyware use caused or enabled his murder.
#1 Best Overall
- 4 Directions 360 Degree Privacy Protection: SOOPUR horizontal and vertical 4 Directions 360 degree all-round privacy protection tempered glass screen protectors make your cell phone screen be invisible to left and right, up and down. No matter how you hold your phone under portrait or landscape mode, Only you can see the the screen clearly, no people can spy on your phone from next to you or behind you.
- Sensitive Face ID and Touch: Made by High-transparency tempered glass to provide amazing clarity for viewing experience and highly respond sensitivity of touch. And this 4 way privacy tempered glass protector won’t blur your front camera, so it does not interfere with Face ID, your Face ID will work well like there’s no film.
- Strong Hardness to Protect Your Phone Screen Well: Made of superior 9H super hardness tempered glass that is scratch resistant and shatterproof to protect your screen from scratches and high impact drops. The oleophobic anti-fingerprint coating keeps your screen free of fingerprints and oily smudges, it's very easy to clean and very smooth and comfortable to touch.
- Rounded Edge to Edge Full Coverage: Perfectly compatible with your cellphone model, covers your full screen edge to edge and works well with phone case. What’s more, they are designed with 2.5D rounded edges, so that you can easily swipe in from the edge of the screen smoothly without feeling an obvious edge.
- Rounded Edge to Edge Full Coverage: Perfectly compatible with iPhone 16 Pro Max, covers your full screen edge to edge and works well with phone case. What’s more, they are designed with 2.5D rounded edges, so that you can easily swipe in from the edge of the screen smoothly without feeling an obvious edge.
His broader concern was that surveillance tools and political pressures could reinforce one another, putting journalists, dissidents and other vulnerable people at risk. The report gives examples of policy and business developments he cited, but does not quantify the scale of their effects.
The policy and business developments he cited
Dark Reading’s report described several developments that Deibert raised. They involve different kinds of action and should not be treated as equivalent:
Rank #2
- MADE FOR iPhone 15 /iPhone 16 - The Screen Protector covers your iPhone's iPhone 15 /iPhone 16 6.1" display, and is case-friendly due to the open edge design. Wear your favorite case and keep your screen protected at the same time! (ONLY Compatible with iPhone 15 /iPhone 16 6.1" Size)
- High Privacy: Keeps your personal, private, and sensitive information hidden from strangers,screen is only visible to persons directly in front of screen.Good choose when you are in the bus,elevator,metro or other public occasions.(Note: Due to the privacy cover will darken the image to prevent the peeking eyes near you,you need to turn your device display brightness up when use it.)
- SPECIALTY: Due to the rounded design of the iPhone 15 & iPhone 16 and to enhance compatibility with most cases, the Tempered glass does not cover the entire screen. HD ultra-clear rounded glass for iPhone 15 /iPhone 16(6.1inch) is 99.99% touch-screen accurate.
- [Extreme Shatterproof & Anti-Scratch] The iPhone 15 /iPhone 16 privacy screen protector tempered glass made from superior 9H tempered glass that is anti-scratch and shatterproof and protecting your screen from scratches and high impact drops.
- WARRANTY: 12-Month Warranty from Fotbor to protect your iPhone 15/iPhone 16 Screen against defects and damage.
| Example | What the report says | How it fits the warning |
|---|---|---|
| Intellexa sanctions | The Biden administration sanctioned Intellexa and executives in 2024. | A past government action against a spyware company; Deibert feared progress could be reversed. |
| NSO Group leadership | Following an acquisition by US investors led by Robert Simonds, NSO Group appointed David Friedman—described as a former Trump bankruptcy attorney and former US ambassador to Israel—as executive chairman. | A business development Deibert cited in discussing US connections to the spyware industry. |
| Paragon Solutions contract | Dark Reading reported that ICE reactivated its contract with Paragon Solutions earlier in 2026, after a pause under President Biden. | A reported government procurement development. Contract status and timing are time-sensitive. |
These examples span sanctions, corporate leadership and government contracting. They do not, by themselves, demonstrate that all US technology companies support spyware or that every government action has the same purpose or effect.
What Deibert meant by “techno-fascism”
Dark Reading reported that Deibert used “techno-fascism” to describe what he sees as an authoritarian alignment between the Trump administration and some technology leaders. It is a political framing attributed to him, not a settled category in technology, law or policy. The report’s examples provide context for his concern, but do not establish that the label is a consensus description.
Rank #3
- 🔒 360° 4-Way Privacy Protection:Advanced micro-louver technology blocks side views (≤25°) from all angles (left/right/top/bottom), ensuring screen privacy in public spaces like cafes or subways. Safeguards sensitive data from prying eyes and camera snooping – 3X more effective than standard protectors.
- ⚡️ 9H Military-Grade Tempered Glass:German-made AF coating with 9H hardness resists scratches from keys, knives, and sand. stronger shatterproof performance, paired with 3D nano-oleophobic layer for buttery-smooth swiping and zero touch lag during gaming/streaming.
- 🌌 3D Full-Coverage Curved Edges:Precision-engineered for iPhone 17 Pro Max curved display. 0.3mm ultra-thin glass + vacuum bonding ensures 100% screen coverage, no halo/edge lifting. Seamless edge-to-edge touch response mimics bare-screen comfort.
- 📱 Case-Friendly & 10-Second Installation:Includes dust-proof alignment frame for bubble-free application in 10 seconds. 2mm edge-shortening design fits 99% of cases (silicone/clear/rugged). No peeling or case interference – perfect for first-time users.
- 🎁 Quality Assurance & 24/7 Customer Support: OneFish screen protectors are designed to withstand everyday drops, bumps, and impacts, offering exceptional durability and longevity. (In case of size mismatch, damaged packaging, installation failure, or product damage) Please contact us through the Amazon platform, and we will resolve the issue within 24 hours
His warning about AI and civil society
Deibert also warned that AI-generated deepfakes and AI-enabled disinformation could amplify threats to civil society and vulnerable groups. Dark Reading quoted him saying: “All of the threats that the Citizen Lab has investigated for the last 25 years are suddenly now being super-charged thanks to AI.” That is his warning, not a quantified finding in the reported account.
He also called the developments “straight out of the authoritarian playbook.” Dark Reading published these quotations in its event report; the available account does not include a keynote transcript or recording to independently compare against the wording.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- EXCELLENT PRIVACY - TECHO Privacy Screen Protector blocks prying eyes from the sides. Your screen is only visible to persons directly in front of screen. Keep your private information security from strangers. Perfect for elevator, metro or other public occasions.
- FULL COVERAGE - Made for iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 to cover the full screen. Offer full coverage, edge to edge protection to absorb almost any impact. Work with most phone cases.
- ULTRA CLEAR - Made of crystal clarity privacy glass, TECHO privacy tempered glass is much clearer than others. The screen won't be too dark, and you don’t need to turn up the brightness during day to day operation.
- SUPER DURABLE - Made of 9H hardness tempered glass, protect your screen from scratch, scrape and impact from minor drop. Coated with hydrophobic and oleophobic layer, it reduces sweat residue and fingerprint, keeping your screen pristine all day long.
- EASY INSTALL - Bubble Free Adhesive makes it easy to install. You can remove and reapply the screen protector if there is any problem during installing. Also, our online installation video will show you how to correctly install your screen protector.
Rank #4
- 🔒 360° 4-Way Privacy Protection:Advanced micro-louver technology blocks side views (≤25°) from all angles (left/right/top/bottom), ensuring screen privacy in public spaces like cafes or subways. Safeguards sensitive data from prying eyes and camera snooping – 3X more effective than standard protectors.
- ⚡️ 9H Military-Grade Tempered Glass:German-made AF coating with 9H hardness resists scratches from keys, knives, and sand. stronger shatterproof performance, paired with 3D nano-oleophobic layer for buttery-smooth swiping and zero touch lag during gaming/streaming.
- 🌌 3D Full-Coverage Curved Edges:Precision-engineered for iPhone 16 Pro Max curved display. 0.3mm ultra-thin glass + vacuum bonding ensures 100% screen coverage, no halo/edge lifting. Seamless edge-to-edge touch response mimics bare-screen comfort.
- 📱 Case-Friendly & 10-Second Installation:Includes dust-proof alignment frame for bubble-free application in 10 seconds. 2mm edge-shortening design fits 99% of cases (silicone/clear/rugged). No peeling or case interference – perfect for first-time users.
- 🎁 2-Pack + 24/7 Customer Support:2 premium privacy screen protectors + full toolkit (cleaning cloth, dust stickers, guide card) included. Contact us via Amazon Message for any issues – 99% of concerns resolved within 24 hours. Lifetime technical support ensures hassle-free protection.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
