Jun 8, 2026, 20:26

Meta Sues NSO Group Again

Meta 再次起訴 NSO Group

Introduction

Meta is taking NSO Group to court. Meta says NSO Group broke a legal rule about WhatsApp users.

Meta 正將 NSO Group 告上法庭。Meta 表示 NSO Group 違反了關於 WhatsApp 用戶的法律規定。

Main Body

NSO Group sent bad links to WhatsApp users. They made fake accounts to test these links. This is against a court order from the US.

NSO Group 向 WhatsApp 用戶發送了惡意連結。他們創建了假帳號來測試這些連結。這違反了美國法院的命令。

In 2019, Meta said NSO Group used a program called Pegasus. This program stole data from 1,400 phones. A judge told NSO Group to stop this work.

在 2019 年，Meta 表示 NSO Group 使用了一款名為 Pegasus 的程式。該程式竊取了 1,400 部手機的數據。法官命令 NSO Group 停止這項工作。

The US government says NSO Group is dangerous. Many groups want to stop NSO Group. They say the company spies on people and takes away their freedom.

美國政府表示 NSO Group 非常危險。許多團體希望阻止 NSO Group。他們稱該公司監視民眾並剝奪其自由。

Conclusion

Meta wants the judge to punish NSO Group. NSO Group wants to change the court rule.

Meta 希望法官懲罰 NSO Group，而 NSO Group 則希望更改法院規定。

Vocabulary Learning

Action Words (Past Tense)

In this story, we see words that describe things that already happened. To talk about the past, we often add -ed to the end of the word.

Break $\rightarrow$ Broke (This one is special/irregular)
Make $\rightarrow$ Made (Special/irregular)
Use $\rightarrow$ Used
Steal $\rightarrow$ Stole (Special/irregular)

Quick Guide: Who does what?

Look at how the sentences are built:

Meta (Person/Company) $\rightarrow$ Sues (Action) $\rightarrow$ NSO Group (Target)

NSO Group (Person/Company) $\rightarrow$ Sent (Action) $\rightarrow$ Links (Thing)

Key Vocabulary for A2:

Court: The place where a judge decides who is right.
Dangerous: Not safe.
Punish: To give a penalty for doing something bad.

Vocabulary Learning

sues (v.)

To take a person or company to court to get money or justice.

Example:The man sues the company because his car was broken.

legal (adj.)

Related to the law; allowed by the law.

Example:You should get legal help before signing the paper.

fake (adj.)

Not real; made to look like something else to trick people.

Example:He has a fake smile on his face.

order (n.)

An official instruction from a judge or a court.

Example:The judge gave a court order to stop the noise.

dangerous (adj.)

Something that can hurt you or cause problems.

Example:It is dangerous to walk alone in the dark forest.

spies (v.)

To watch someone secretly to get information.

Example:The man spies on his neighbor using a camera.

freedom (n.)

The power or right to act, speak, or think as you want.

Example:Everyone wants the freedom to travel the world.

punish (v.)

To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.

Example:The teacher will punish the students for fighting.

Meta Takes Legal Action Against NSO Group for Breaking Court Order

Meta 因 NSO Group 違反法院命令而採取法律行動

Introduction

Meta has announced that it is asking a federal court to hold the Israeli company NSO Group in contempt. Meta claims that the company broke a permanent court order that forbids them from targeting WhatsApp users.

Meta 宣布其正請求聯邦法院判定以色列公司 NSO Group 蔑視法庭。Meta 指稱該公司違反了一項禁止其針對 WhatsApp 用戶的永久法院命令。

Main Body

This legal move follows the discovery of 'spear phishing' attacks and the creation of unauthorized test accounts on WhatsApp. Meta describes these as '1-click' phishing campaigns, where users are tricked into clicking malicious links to compromise their devices. Consequently, Meta asserts that these actions violate a permanent injunction previously issued by a US District Court.

此次法律行動是因為發現了「魚叉式網路釣魚」攻擊，以及在 WhatsApp 上創建了未經授權的測試帳號。Meta 將其描述為「一擊」釣魚企劃，用戶會被誘導點擊惡意連結以入侵其裝置。因此，Meta 主張這些行為違反了美國地區法院先前發出的永久禁制令。

The conflict between the two companies began in 2019, when Meta alleged that NSO Group used its 'Pegasus' spyware to target about 1,400 devices. The court found that NSO had analyzed WhatsApp's code to bypass its security. Although a jury originally awarded Meta $167 million in damages, a judge later reduced this amount to $4 million. Meanwhile, NSO Group has tried to cancel the court order, arguing that the restriction threatens the sales of Pegasus.

兩家公司之間的衝突始於 2019 年，當時 Meta 指控 NSO Group 使用其「Pegasus」間諜軟體針對約 1,400 部裝置。法院發現 NSO 分析了 WhatsApp 的代碼以繞過其安全機制。雖然陪審團最初判給 Meta 1.67 億美元的損害賠償金，但法官隨後將此金額降低至 400 萬美元。與此同時，NSO Group 試圖撤銷法院命令，理由是該限制威脅到 Pegasus 的銷售。

Furthermore, NSO Group is currently on the US government's 'Entity List' because it is seen as a risk to national security. A group of twelve civil rights organizations and the Knight First Amendment Institute are opposing NSO's appeal in court. These organizations emphasize that commercial spyware allows for total surveillance, which harms free speech and press freedom worldwide.

此外，NSO Group 目前被列入美國政府的「實體清單」，因為它被視為對國家安全構成風險。十二個民權組織與 Knight First Amendment Institute 正在法院反對 NSO 的上訴。這些組織強調，商業間諜軟體允許全面監控，這會損害全球的言論自由與新聞自由。

Conclusion

Meta is now seeking legal penalties against NSO Group, while NSO continues to fight the court order in an attempt to remove it.

Meta 目前正尋求對 NSO Group 採取法律處罰，而 NSO 則繼續對抗法院命令，試圖將其撤銷。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The Power of 'Logical Connectors'

To move from A2 (simple sentences) to B2 (complex flow), you must stop using and, but, and so for everything. Look at how this text connects ideas to create a professional, legal tone.

1. The 'Result' Shift: Consequently Instead of saying "So, Meta says...", the text uses "Consequently."

A2 Style: NSO broke the rules, so Meta is suing them.
B2 Style: NSO broke the rules; consequently, Meta is seeking legal penalties.
Coach's Tip: Use this at the start of a sentence to show a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

2. The 'Addition' Boost: Furthermore When you have more information to add, "Also" is too basic. "Furthermore" signals to the reader that the next point is even more important than the last.

Example from text: The author first discusses the court case, then uses furthermore to introduce the US government's "Entity List."

3. The 'Contrast' Bridge: Although B2 speakers don't just use "But" in the middle of a sentence. They use "Although" to create a complex sentence structure where one part of the sentence makes the other part surprising.

The Structure: Although [Fact A], [Surprising Fact B].
Text Analysis: "Although a jury originally awarded Meta $167 million... a judge later reduced this amount to$ 4 million."

🚀 Quick Level-Up Cheat Sheet

Instead of... (A2)	Try this... (B2)	Why?
So	Consequently	Sounds more objective/formal
Also	Furthermore	Adds weight to your argument
But	Although	Shows a higher level of grammar control

Vocabulary Learning

contempt (n.)

The crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law.

Example:The witness was held in contempt of court for refusing to answer the judge's questions.

forbid (v.)

To refuse to allow something; to prohibit.

Example:The new company policy forbids employees from using personal phones during meetings.

compromise (v.)

To make something vulnerable or expose it to danger, especially a security system.

Example:A weak password can easily compromise the security of your entire network.

assert (v.)

To state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.

Example:The lawyer continued to assert that his client was innocent despite the evidence.

injunction (n.)

An official order from a court that stops a person or company from doing something.

Example:The court granted an injunction to stop the construction of the building until the land dispute was settled.

allege (v.)

To claim that someone has done something wrong or illegal, but without proof.

Example:The report alleges that the company ignored safety warnings for several years.

bypass (v.)

To go around a system or obstacle to avoid it.

Example:Hackers often try to bypass security firewalls to gain access to private data.

emphasize (v.)

To give special importance or attention to something when speaking or writing.

Example:The teacher wanted to emphasize the importance of reviewing the notes before the final exam.

surveillance (n.)

The careful watching of a person or place, especially by the police or army.

Example:The government increased surveillance at the borders to prevent illegal smuggling.

Meta Initiates Contempt Proceedings Against NSO Group Following Alleged Injunction Breach

Meta 指控 NSO Group 違反禁制令，啟動藐視法庭程序

Introduction

Meta has announced the filing of a federal court contempt order against the Israeli firm NSO Group, alleging the company violated a permanent injunction prohibiting the targeting of WhatsApp users.

Meta 宣布向聯邦法院申請藐視法庭令，指控以色列公司 NSO Group 違反了禁止針對 WhatsApp 用戶的永久禁制令。

Main Body

The current legal escalation follows the detection of spear phishing activities and the creation of unauthorized test accounts and groups on the WhatsApp platform. Meta characterizes these actions as '1-click' phishing campaigns, wherein users are induced to access malicious external links to compromise their devices. These activities are identified as a breach of a permanent injunction granted by the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

此次法律升級是因為偵測到魚叉式網路釣魚活動，以及在 WhatsApp 平台建立未經授權的測試帳號與群組。Meta 將這些行為定義為「一擊」釣魚攻擊，用戶會被誘導存取惡意的外部連結，進而導致裝置被入侵。這些活動被認定為違反了美國加州北區地方法院頒布的永久禁制令。

Historically, the friction between the two entities originated in 2019, when Meta alleged that NSO Group utilized the Pegasus spyware to target approximately 1,400 devices. Judicial findings indicated that NSO reverse-engineered WhatsApp's code to circumvent security protocols. While a jury initially awarded Meta $167 million in damages, a federal judge subsequently reduced this sum to $4 million while maintaining the permanent injunction. NSO Group has since sought to overturn this order, asserting that the restriction jeopardizes Pegasus, which constituted the entirety of its 2025 sales.

從歷史來看，兩家實體的摩擦始於 2019 年，當時 Meta 指控 NSO Group 利用 Pegasus 偵察軟體針對約 1,400 台裝置。司法調查結果顯示，NSO 透過對 WhatsApp 的代碼進行逆向工程以繞過安全協定。雖然陪審團最初判處 NSO 賠償 Meta 1.67 億美元，但隨後聯邦法官將此金額調降至 400 萬美元，同時維持永久禁制令。NSO Group 此後試圖撤銷該命令，聲稱此限制危及 Pegasus，而 Pegasus 構成了其 2025 年的全部銷售額。

Beyond the bilateral litigation, NSO Group remains on the US government's Entity List, having been designated a risk to national security and foreign policy interests. The company's appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit has been opposed by a coalition of twelve civil rights organizations and the Knight First Amendment Institute. These stakeholders contend that the proliferation of commercial spyware facilitates near-total surveillance, thereby undermining global standards of free expression and press freedom.

除了雙方的訴訟之外，NSO Group 仍被列入美國政府的實體清單（Entity List），被指定為對國家安全和外交政策利益構成風險。該公司向美國第九巡迴上訴法院提出的上訴，遭到由 12 個民權組織與 Knight 第一修正案研究所組成的聯盟反對。這些利益相關者主張，商業偵察軟體的擴散會促成近乎全面的監控，從而削弱全球言論自由和新聞自由的標準。

Conclusion

Meta is currently seeking judicial sanctions against NSO Group, while the latter continues its appeal to vacate the permanent injunction.

Meta 目前正尋求對 NSO Group 採取司法制裁，而後者則繼續上訴要求撤銷永久禁制令。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Formal Legalism & Nominalization

To move from B2 to C2, a student must stop describing actions and start conceptualizing them. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the process of turning verbs (actions) into nouns (concepts) to achieve a 'frozen' academic register. This removes the need for a subjective agent and elevates the prose to a level of institutional authority.

⚡ The C2 Pivot: From Action to Entity

Observe how the text avoids simple subject-verb-object constructions in favor of complex noun phrases. Compare these two registers:

B2 (Action-Oriented): Meta is suing NSO Group because they think NSO broke the court's rules.
C2 (Concept-Oriented): Meta has announced the filing of a federal court contempt order... alleging the company violated a permanent injunction.

In the C2 version, "the filing of a federal court contempt order" is not just an action; it is a legal event. This shift allows the writer to pack an immense amount of specific data into a single sentence without losing cohesion.

🔍 Forensic Linguistic Analysis

1. The 'Statutory' Verb Cluster Note the precision of the verbs chosen to bridge these nouns. They aren't just 'doing' words; they are functional markers:

Initiates $\rightarrow$ (Formal commencement of a process)
Circumvent $\rightarrow$ (Strategically bypassing a barrier, more precise than 'avoid')
Vacate $\rightarrow$ (Legal term for canceling an order; far superior to 'remove' or 'stop')

2. The Lexical Density of 'Friction' Look at the phrase: "Historically, the friction between the two entities originated in 2019."

B2 approach: "The two companies have been fighting since 2019."
C2 approach: "Friction" serves as a metaphor for systemic conflict, and "entities" depersonalizes the actors, treating them as legal units rather than groups of people.

🛠️ Advanced Syntactic Integration

To master this, you must employ Subordinating Conjunctions that signal logical causality rather than just time. The text uses "thereby" to link an action to its global consequence:

*"...facilitates near-total surveillance, thereby undermining global standards..."

This structure (Verb-ing $\rightarrow$ thereby $\rightarrow$ Verb-ing) is the hallmark of high-level argumentative writing. It creates an airtight logical chain that is nearly impossible to dispute, a requirement for C2 level precision.

Vocabulary Learning

contempt (n.)

The offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers.

Example:The witness was held in contempt of court for refusing to answer the prosecutor's questions.

injunction (n.)

A judicial order that restrains a person from beginning or continuing a specific action.

Example:The court issued a permanent injunction to prevent the company from selling the disputed patent.

circumvent (v.)

To find a way around an obstacle or a set of rules, typically in a clever or surreptitious manner.

Example:Hackers often attempt to circumvent security protocols to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

jeopardize (v.)

To put someone or something into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure.

Example:The sudden loss of funding could jeopardize the entire research project.

bilateral (adj.)

Involving two parties, typically two countries or organizations.

Example:The two nations signed a bilateral trade agreement to reduce tariffs on agricultural goods.

proliferation (n.)

The rapid increase in the number or amount of something.

Example:The proliferation of smartphones has fundamentally changed how people consume news.

vacate (v.)

To cancel or render void a legal order, judgment, or decree.

Example:The defense attorney filed a motion to vacate the previous judgment based on new evidence.

Practice All words in a crossword→