Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2025 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Back to To the Point

To the Point

US-made Spying Technology Used in Syria and Iran

Eavesdropping has gone from peeking in windows to a $5 billion business. Western companies make sophisticated technology for what they call "lawful intercept." Is it also used for human rights abuses overseas and invasions of privacy at home?

  • rss
  • Share
By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

Eavesdropping has gone from peeking in windows to a $5 billion business. Western companies make sophisticated technology for what they call "lawful intercept." Is it also used for human rights abuses overseas and invasions of privacy at home? Thirty-five US government agencies and 43 countries attended the latest US trade fare for high-tech surveillance, one of five events held annually across the world and called "The Wiretappers' Ball." That's according to Sari Horwitz, investigative reporter for the Washington Post.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • KCRW placeholder

    Sari Horwitz

    Washington Post

    NewsNationalPolitics
Back to To the Point