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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Lisa O'Carroll in Brussels

MEPs vote against amendment to ban EU governments spying on journalists

European Union flags fly with blue sky in background
Members of the European parliament have said that as spyware is indiscriminate it would be unusable because they will not be able to preserve confidentiality of journalists’ phones. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters

An attempt to stop EU governments from being able to insert spyware on journalists’ phones on the grounds of national security is “dead”, campaigners have said after a vote in the European parliament on new media laws.

MEPs voted against an amendment to scrap the right to surveil journalists in the European Media Freedom Act in Strasbourg on Tuesday, pitting themselves against free speech campaigners.

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