SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Paul Thurrott reports that despite a federal court order directing Microsoft to turn overseas-held email data to federal authorities, the software giant says it will continue to withhold that information as it waits for the case to wind through the appeals process. "Microsoft will not be turning over the email and plans to appeal," a Microsoft statement says. Judge Loretta Preska ruled on July 31 that Microsoft was required to hand over email messages stored in an Ireland data center to US prosecutors investigating a criminal case. "Let there be no doubt that Microsoft's actions in this controversial case are customer-centric," says Thurrott. "The firm isn't just standing up to the US government on moral principles. It's now defying a federal court order."
This is the first time a technology company has resisted a US search warrant seeking data that is held outside the United States. In the view of Microsoft and many legal experts, federal authorities have no jurisdiction over data stored outside the country. It says that the court order violates Ireland's sovereignty and that prosecutors need to seek a legal treaty with Ireland in order to obtain the data they want. Microsoft was stung by revelations last year by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and has been at pains to prove to customers that it does not allow the U.S. government unchallenged access to personal data on its servers. The case has been closely watched by Microsoft’s competitors, which have filed briefs in support of the tech giant’s efforts to beat back the search warrant, reflecting industry concern that compliance with US requests for data held abroad could alienate foreign governments. They face increasing pressure abroad to shore up customer privacy.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by kaszz on Monday September 01 2014, @04:38AM
Why would a US based company that were happily in bed with the men in black just a few years ago. Decide to change their ways just now? Corporations are slaves to money. So it's about retaining customers etc.. Don't buy into this public relations theatric show.
Want real security and reliability. Then choose companies with owners that have the right beliefs and the right jurisdiction all the way.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 01 2014, @04:58AM
I'm afraid most businesses prefer to do business with other good businessmen rather than idealists. Companies like to plan long term, and idealists tend to go broke much faster.
(Not that I'd disagree with your basic idea; I couldn't agree more.)
q.kontinuum (532)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by keplr on Monday September 01 2014, @05:10AM
It's probably all an act. NSA gets everything, one way or another. They're likely instructing US companies to make very public moves like this so that it appears that they still have some semblance of independence. MS might as well be a branch of the NSA. They probably have offices in each other campuses for constant cooperation.
I don't respond to ACs.
(Score: 2) by Magic Oddball on Monday September 01 2014, @07:36AM
Part would have to be wanting to hold onto (or win over) customers... I can see two possibilities for the other half:
1) Switching from Ballmer's preferred methods of handling the government over to Nadella's.
2) MS leaders may feel that it has been too helpful for too long, so that its obedience is taken for granted by the government, rather than something that is 'encouraged' with fat contracts or extra lenience or something else. It could be that they want the government officials to start (or go back to) making decisions that impact MS in a way that pleases the company, for fear it decides to be as unhelpful as it can get away with in the future.
(Score: 1) by Murdoc on Tuesday September 02 2014, @08:15PM