Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Wednesday October 25 2017, @06:48AM   Printer-friendly
from the wait-until-they-change-their-policy-again dept.

Microsoft has dropped its lawsuit against the Department of Justice now that the DoJ has ended its policy of sending "gag orders" to companies that receive legal demands for user data:

"This new policy limits the overused practice of requiring providers to stay silent when the government accesses personal data stored in the cloud," explains Brad Smith, Microsoft's chief legal officer. "It helps ensure that secrecy orders are used only when necessary and for defined periods of time. This is an important step for both privacy and free expression. It is an unequivocal win for our customers, and we're pleased the DOJ has taken these steps to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans."

The new policy will limit the use of secrecy orders, and set defined periods for them. Microsoft says the new policy will "make sure that every application for a secrecy order is carefully and specifically tailored to the facts in the case." While Microsoft has convinced the DOJ to change its policy, it's now putting the pressure on Congress to act. "Today's policy doesn't address all of the problems with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)," says Smith. "We renew our call on Congress to amend it."

Also at Ars Technica, Bloomberg, and TechCrunch.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 25 2017, @11:21AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 25 2017, @11:21AM (#587325)

    DOJ gets their ducks in a row before arguing before the Supreme Court?