Serbian Student Receives Apple Spyware Alert as Authorities Mock Claims Ahead of Election

In December, Jelena Kontic used her phone to coordinate with university colleagues, activists and the public during a wave of student-led protests in Serbia, while helping to build a network for election monitoring. Five months later, Apple issued a ‘Threat Notification’ indicating that a sophisticated mercenary spyware attack had been detected on her iPhone, likely because of who she is or what she does. Kontic said the alert made her device feel like a ‘ticking timebomb.’

Authorities in Serbia publicly mocked the claim, treating it as baseless as the nation approaches its elections. The episode highlights concerns over potential state or non-state surveillance tactics ahead of a politically charged vote. It also reflects broader anxieties about digital privacy for activists and journalists in the region.