How Italy spies journalists: the Paragon scandal and the limits of democracy

 The scandal surrounding the use of Graphitespyware, developed by the Israeli company Paragon, has exposed a crucial issue for Italian and European democracy: the surveillance of journalists by state entities without transparency or democratic oversight. In Italy, it remains unclear which ministry, police force, or government agency had access to these tools, or for what purpose they were deployed against members of the press. This case raises fundamental questions about the protection of press freedom, the limits of state power, and the risk that advanced surveillance technologies may be weaponized against those who exercise their right and duty to inform the public. The panel will address these issues starting from the direct testimony of one of the journalists placed under surveillance, Francesco Cancellato, editor-in-chief of Fanpage, alongside international experts in cybersecurity and regulation. The goal is to open a public debate on the future of press freedom in the age of digital surveillance, and on the urgent need for clear democratic safeguards to prevent abuse.