Facebook is well-known for collecting troves of sensitive user information. However, the company can get fiercely protective when other parties try to use its platforms to do the same thing. In 2019, the social media giant sued an Israeli spyware firm called NSO Group, alleging that it illegally exploited a loophole in WhatsApp to install spyware on the phones of over 1,400 users over a two-week timeframe. And this week, Facebook scored a big legal victory when a judge ordered NSO Group to hand over the code for its spyware products to WhatsApp.

While NSO Group has said that it sells this technology to law enforcement agencies to help them catch child abusers, terrorists, and other despicable criminals, research has suggested that repressive governments are really using it to target political opponents, journalists, and human rights activists. To make matters even more complicated, the Israeli government is closely involved with the company, making its code a state secret. However, this judge’s decision could change all that.

“The recent court ruling is an important milestone in our long-running goal of protecting WhatsApp users against unlawful attacks. Spyware companies and other malicious actors need to understand they can be caught and will not be able to ignore the law,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

While Facebook was unable to force NSO Group to disclose its buyers in court, this is still undoubtedly a big win for user privacy.

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