Disgraced Spyware Entrepreneur Seeks FTC Pardon to Re-Enter Surveillance Industry
📷 Image source: techcrunch.com
Scott Zuckerman, the controversial founder of multiple spyware companies, is petitioning the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to lift an industry ban imposed after his firms were caught illegally harvesting user data. The FTC barred Zuckerman in 2023 from participating in the surveillance business following multiple violations of consumer privacy laws. Now, he claims to have reformed and wants another chance in the industry he helped shape—and exploit.
Zuckerman’s most notorious venture, StealthGenie, was shut down by the FTC in 2014 for selling stalkerware that allowed users to secretly monitor phones. Despite this, he later founded another surveillance firm, SpyTrac, which also faced legal action. Critics argue that his repeated offenses demonstrate a pattern of disregard for privacy laws.
In his appeal, Zuckerman insists he now understands the ethical boundaries of surveillance tech and pledges to develop 'transparent, lawful' monitoring tools. However, privacy advocates remain skeptical. 'This is like letting a fox back into the henhouse,' said Eva Galperin, Director of Cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 'His track record speaks for itself.'
The FTC has not yet ruled on Zuckerman’s petition, but legal experts suggest the agency is unlikely to reverse its decision without stringent oversight conditions. Meanwhile, the case reignites debates over accountability in the largely unregulated surveillance software market.
