Meta says it's filing a federal court contempt order against NSO for violating a permanent injunction that barred NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and its users
ReutersJaspreet Singh
Context & Ripple Effects
Meta’s dispute with NSO has moved through several enforcement stages: WhatsApp’s lawsuit survived a Supreme Court challenge, discovery reached NSO’s Pegasus-related code, and a court ultimately imposed a permanent bar on targeting WhatsApp and its users. A later ruling reduced the jury’s damages award while preserving that injunction.
The reported contempt filing therefore centers on whether the injunction is effective in practice, rather than reopening the underlying allegations. It matters because it tests Meta’s ability to use court orders—not only product security measures—to deter spyware activity against its messaging service.
First-order effects
Meta and WhatsApp are seeking court enforcement against NSO for alleged post-injunction conduct, potentially putting NSO at risk of contempt remedies if the court agrees.
The filing keeps NSO’s ability to target WhatsApp and its users under direct judicial scrutiny despite the earlier damages reduction.
Second-order effects
A contempt fight can increase the practical cost of violating platform-specific injunctions for spyware vendors, beyond the damages available in the original case.
Messaging platforms facing targeted exploitation have a clearer incentive to pair technical defenses with litigation aimed at obtaining and enforcing behavioral restrictions on vendors.
Third-order effects
If courts prove willing to enforce permanent platform-targeting bans through contempt proceedings, civil litigation could become a more durable constraint on commercial spyware operations than one-time monetary awards.
The case also highlights a limit of that approach: its industry-wide effect will depend on whether court orders can be monitored and enforced against conduct that may occur across jurisdictions.
The trend: The broader trend is a shift from platforms seeking damages after spyware attacks toward using long-running litigation and injunction enforcement to constrain repeat targeting.
Glad to see @WhatsApp continuing to invest significant efforts & resources into countering the threat of spyware and holding companies like NSO Group accountable!
NSO continues to violate US law, 7 years after we caught them targeting journalists and civil society. Today, we're seeking to hold them in contempt for violating a U.S. court order prohibiting them from targeting WhatsApp. Foreign spyware companies cannot be allowed to break
A US court told #NSO Group to stop hacking #WhatsApp NSO's apparent response? Hack WhatsApp again. What exactly makes governments think they can build national security on a spyware company that repeatedly and illegally undermines everyones security? https://www.reuters.com/...
2/ Back in 2019 @WhatsApp sued NSO Group for hacking 1.4k of their users. NSO tried every possible tactic to dodge the case. But lost spectacularly in 2024 and got hit with huge damages & later a permanent injunction against hacking WhatsApp. https://www.reuters.com/... [image]
BREAKING: NSO Group caught trying to hack across @WhatsApp. Again! In defiance of 🇺🇸US Courts. WhatsApp disrupted the Pegasus campaign & says it violates US Federal injunction they won against NSO. Asks Federal judge to hold NSO Group in contempt. Many implications... 1/ [image]
NSO Group “is doing an amazing job making the argument that they should stay sanctioned and face more consequences,” said @jsrailton.bsky.social, a senior researcher @citizenlab.ca , a research unit @utoronto.ca that specializes in tracking global surveillance — www.nytimes.com…
Meta uncovered instances of WhatsApp users being targeted by phishing attempts linked to NSO Group's surveillance tech despite 2025 court order not to do so. The targets, who self-reported the hack attempts, were mostly in Lebanon and Jordan — www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/u...