Microsoft has restricted the Israel Ministry of Defense’s access to specific technologies and services following an internal probe into allegations of the ministry’s use of its technology for surveillance of Palestinian phone calls. The American tech firm announced its decision to “cease and disable” certain subscriptions used by the Israeli military, particularly affecting Azure cloud storage and various AI services.
Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice chair and president, stated in a blog post, “We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians.” He emphasised that this principle has been consistently upheld globally for over two decades, and that Microsoft’s terms of service explicitly forbid the utilisation of their technology for mass civilian surveillance.
The notification to Israel about this action occurred last week, as reported by The Guardian. Microsoft’s review of the situation began in August after a report detailed how Unit 8200, Israel’s elite military intelligence division, was using Azure to store data regarding phone calls obtained from surveillance operations on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Smith expressed gratitude for The Guardian’s reporting, which prompted Microsoft’s investigation, as the company cannot directly access customer content due to privacy rights. He underscored the importance of privacy protection for maintaining customer trust in their services.
While Microsoft confirmed the review is still in progress, they refrained from commenting further on what aspects remain under examination. The company has faced criticism from employees and external groups regarding its connections with Israel, including protests during its 50th anniversary celebration in April and a sit-in at Smith’s office by employees in August.
Additionally, multiple employees have reportedly been terminated in recent months for their activism related to Microsoft’s contracts with Israel. As scrutiny of Microsoft’s practices continues, the outcome of the ongoing review remains to be seen.
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