Microsoft Sues the U S Government over Customer Privacy, Report

The lawsuit Microsoft filed against the United States government on Thursday is about privacy.

Microsoft is suing the US government for the right to be able to tell customers about government requests for their emails and other documents.

The lawsuit maintains that the government is violating the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. This establishes the right for people and businesses to know if the government searches or seizes their property.

Microsoft’s concern focuses on data stored on remote servers. “People do not give up their rights when they move their private information from physical storage to the cloud,” Microsoft says in the lawsuit. Microsoft also reveals that 5,624 requests for data were made in the last 18 months, around half of which came with a court order instructing it not to let anyone know.

The Department of Justice is reviewing the filing.

Agencies/Canadajournal