TechnologyDeveloping
Researchers say spyware was delivered to Al Jazeera devices through online ads
By Mantle News
Coverage spectrum
Covered by 5 outlets across the spectrum.
8 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias
Citizen Lab researchers report that spyware was delivered through online ads with no click or other action by the victim. Al Jazeera says dozens of its devices, including journalists’ devices, were infected, and that the Citizen Lab investigation named the Israeli firm Candiru as behind the attacks. NBC News reports that the Israeli ad company DiscoverTech helped spyware developers place their software on popular websites. The Daily Caller reports that DiscoverTech gave spyware firms access to ad platforms and that the US Commerce Department blacklisted Candiru in 2021.
Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works
What happened
Key points
Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.
Citizen Lab researchers report that spyware infected Al Jazeera devices, including those of journalists, through online advertisements.
One side only: the leftReported byLeft2See the outletsHide the outlets
- Left
- NBC News, Al Jazeera English
The spyware needed no click or other action by the victim to infect a device.
Reported byLeft1Center2See the outletsHide the outlets
- Left
- Al Jazeera English
- Center
- Financial Times, Straight Arrow News
The Israeli ad company DiscoverTech helped spyware firms place their software through its advertising platforms.
Reported byLeft2Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
- Left
- NBC News, Al Jazeera English
- Far Right
- The Daily Caller
Citizen Lab’s investigation identified the Israeli firm Candiru as the company behind the attacks on Al Jazeera devices.
One outletAl Jazeera English· Left
The US Commerce Department blacklisted Israeli firm Candiru in 2021 for supplying spyware to foreign governments.
One outletThe Daily Caller· Far Right
How each side tells it
Compare views
Each side reports that spyware was delivered through online ads without victim action, citing Citizen Lab research. Left outlets focus on Al Jazeera journalists as targets, center outlets on the technique, and the one right-side outlet on the scale of the ad networks.
the left
2 outlets
Left outlets lead with the Israeli company and the targeting of Al Jazeera devices and journalists; Al Jazeera’s own headlines cast the firm as disguised spyware and a global security risk.
Israeli Delegitimizing label“‘ad’ firm”The scare quotes cast doubt on the company being an advertising firm, a description other reports accept without qualification.More neutral: Israeli ad companyDisagree with this highlight? helped infect spyware into Al Jazeera devices
Al Jazeera EnglishLeftAll left-leaning headlines the center
2 outlets
Center headlines focus on the technique, a new zero-click method that hacks phones through targeted ads, and one treats it as a lesson in online safety; neither names Al Jazeera.
New ‘zero-click’ spyware hacked phones using targeted ads
Financial TimesCenterAll center headlines the right
1 outlet
The Far Right Daily Caller, the only right-side article supplied, headlines the scale of the ad networks and that everyday ads became hacking tools, citing reports by Confiant and Citizen Lab.
Spyware Firm Turned Sensational language“Everyday Ads”The word everyday frames ordinary online advertising as a weapon, adding drama beyond the reported facts.More neutral: online adsDisagree with this highlight? Into Hacking Tools, Reports Say
The Daily CallerFar RightAll right-leaning headlines
The words they chose
Language to notice
Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.
Left1
‘ad’ firm
Center0
No loaded words in its own voice.
Right1
Everyday Ads
In the outlets’ own words
Delegitimizing label
‘ad’ firmMore neutral: Israeli ad company
The scare quotes cast doubt on the company being an advertising firm, a description other reports accept without qualification.
Israeli ‘ad’ firm helped infect spyware into Al Jazeera devices
Used byAl Jazeera English (Left)
Sensational language
Everyday AdsMore neutral: online ads
The word everyday frames ordinary online advertising as a weapon, adding drama beyond the reported facts.
Spyware Firm Turned Everyday Ads Into Hacking Tools, Reports Say
Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)
See for yourself
Side by side
What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.
From the left
2 outletsLeads with
- Al Jazeera journalists as targets
- Israeli origin of the firm
- global security risk
See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
How Israeli spyware used ‘zero click’ hack on Al Jazeera staff
Israeli spyware firms hacked into Al Jazeera devices in 2024 using a new ‘adfection’ method. Here's how it works.
- NBC NewsLeft
Israeli ad company helped a spyware firm target Al Jazeera through online ads, researchers say
An Israeli ad company, DiscoverTech, has for years been secretly helping spyware developers place their hacking software on popular websites, researchers say.
From the center
2 outletsLeads with
- the zero-click technique
- no user action needed
- infection through targeted ads
Leaves out
- Al Jazeera journalists as victims
- Candiru named as the firm
Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
- Straight Arrow NewsCenter
‘Don’t click the ad’ might be outdated internet advice. Here’s why
Usually, people have to click on links or files to install spyware, but this method doesn’t require any interaction at all.
- Financial TimesCenter
New ‘zero-click’ spyware hacked phones using targeted ads
Citizen Lab researchers uncover Israeli-developed ‘AdFection’ technique that requires no interaction from victim to infect devices
From the right
1 outletLeads with
- scale of ad network exposure
- blacklisted spyware firm Candiru
- Israeli ad agency spying on users
See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
- The Daily CallerFar Right
Spyware Firm Turned Sensational language“Everyday Ads”The word everyday frames ordinary online advertising as a weapon, adding drama beyond the reported facts.More neutral: online adsDisagree with this highlight? Into Hacking Tools, Reports Say
‘Hundreds of millions of people would have been touched’
Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?
The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.
Who reported it when
How the coverage built up
Left
First to report
NBC News, Oct 15, 6:00 AM EDT
Center
0 min later
Its first report, Oct 15, 6:00 AM EDT
Right
1 day 6 hr later
Its first report, Oct 16, 12:04 PM EDT
See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
- NBC NewsLeftOct 15, 6:00 AM EDT
- Financial TimesCenterOct 15, 6:00 AM EDT
- Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 15, 12:32 PM EDT
- Straight Arrow NewsCenterOct 15, 1:34 PM EDT
- The Daily CallerFar RightOct 16, 12:04 PM EDT
Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.
Read next
More on Technology
Trump and cabinet officials discuss federal efforts against cybercrime at White House
4 outlets
More on Technology
TechnologyBreaking
Officials warn of critical PHP flaws, prompting some websites to go offline
19 outlets
Next in today’s stories
WorldBreaking
Russia frees jailed American Stephen Hubbard during US envoy Witkoff’s visit
33 outlets
Next in today’s stories
PoliticsDeveloping
Ramaswamy ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother draws bipartisan criticism
15 outlets
A story one side mostly skipped
PoliticsBreaking
Polling firm Wedgewood admits its midterm polls were fabricated
14 outletsQuiet on the left