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Microsoft, which purchased Skype in 2011, will soon increase its monitoring of Skype and other services. Starting May 1st they will further examine ostensibly private communicatiosn for 'offensive language' and 'inappropriate content' for the purpose of blocking. The changes are rolled out as part of a new terms of service advisory for the company's many services.
Microsoft will ban 'offensive language' and 'inappropriate content' from Skype, Xbox, Office and other services on May 1, claiming it has the right to go through your private data to 'investigate.'
From IDG's CSO : Microsoft to ban 'offensive language' from Skype, Xbox, Office and other services.
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Microsoft to Ban 'Offensive Language' From Skype, Xbox, Office and Other Services
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When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by
reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Wednesday March 28 2018, @10:45PM (5 children)
I *really* hope this change includes "Skype for Business" aka Communicator aka Lync...because this change might actually make management around here start to consider replacing that heap of garbage...
(Score: 5, Interesting) by BsAtHome on Wednesday March 28 2018, @10:53PM (4 children)
Does that actually matter? If the *other* side you are communicating with is not on the same agreement, then you have a problem too.
The "Covered Services" include:
Skype in the Classroom
Skype Interviews
Skype Manager
Skype Qik
Skype.com
Skype
I am actually more worried about the education versions, which are explicitly covered. However, in the EU we have much more strict rules about privacy. Microsoft listening in on those will be a significant problem for both Microsoft, the users and the educational institutions (the institutions have to ensure strict privacy).
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Wednesday March 28 2018, @11:08PM (1 child)
I'm not sure if Skype for Business even allows calls to regular Skype users...if it does we don't ever make use of that feature. We use it only for internal communication, so if the IT department decides to switch to something else, that resolves the entire issue as far as I'm concerned. I haven't used Skype personally since back when they decided that only Intel users were allowed to use all of the features of their software...and Microsoft buying them out certainly didn't make me any more eager to go back to it. Doesn't look like Skype for Business is covered though, so there's goes that sliver of hope...I guess I can still hope it irrevocably destroys the Skype brand, that *might* help, but seems a bit unlikely...
A very interesting point...definitely something to watch...
(Score: 1) by Qlaras on Thursday March 29 2018, @03:31AM
SFBSkype is an optional layer that those in charge of SFB (hosted On-Prem or Cloud/O365, doesn't matter) have control over.
At least with the On-Prem version you can restrict it on a user-by-user basis (via the External Communication policy config); along with SFBSFB 'Federation'. (Which can be none, whitelist, or wide open)
(Score: 2) by frojack on Thursday March 29 2018, @01:39AM (1 child)
Was it clear this applied to spoken conversation, or only text messages over the Skype chat?
Real time monitoring of Voice seems impractical.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Thursday March 29 2018, @04:29AM
Youtube apparently does voice parsing while looking for stuff to ban. I expect parsing a mere audio stream is that much easier.
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.