According to a report in Israeli media, Israel has hacked activists, mayors and other Israeli citizens without judicial oversight using spyware from the controversial NSO Group.

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram says the firms used its platforms to spy on human rights activists, government critics, celebrities and journalists in more than 100 countries.

A battle over Palestinian activist groups that Israel accuses of terrorism has taken a turn into the world of Israeli spyware. Israel hopes to convince European countries to stop funding the groups.

Israel takes pride in its high-tech industry — and it brings in big bucks. But one of its star cybersecurity firms, NSO Group, is at the center of a spying scandal, and the government plays a role.

David Kaye, now a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, says privately sold software that's being used to spy on journalists, dissidents and others is a threat to democracy.