Microsoft states its privacy policy on your email in wake of court case

2 min. read

Published onAugust 29, 2014

published onAugust 29, 2014

Share this article

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Microsoft has made a lot of noise about Gmail scanning messages for ads, though the truth is that every email service scans messages, as it’s how spam filtering works. But these days, in the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations, more people are worried about privacy. With that in mind, Microsoft has issued a statement on email privacy.

The announcement, titled “Your email belongs to you, not us” covers the company’s privacy policies. According to Brendon Lynch, chief privacy officer at Microsoft, the company “is committed to delivering meaningful privacy protections that build trust with our customers, and we know how much you value the contents of your email. We believe your email belongs to you, not us, and that it should receive the same privacy protection as paper letters sent by mail–no matter where it is stored”.

This announcement is being made in response to a warrant issued by the US government, which is attempting to seize user data that is stored on foreign soil. It’s a thin line to walk, given everyone wishes to remain safe. But we also don’t want to think that the government can simply take our data — especially when it happens to be stored somewhere else, in this case Ireland.

The case is, so far, not going well for Microsoft. Courts have sided with the US government. The implications are ominous, as it means other countries could also demand data, regardless of its location. The company points out that this is already happening — “In fact, earlier this month the British government passed a law asserting its right to require tech companies to produce emails stored anywhere in the world”.

The case is not done, as Microsoft continues to argue its point, though the outcome is headed in the wrong direction for US citizens. We’ll keep you updated on it.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

User forum

0 messages

Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes

Comment*

Name*

Email*

Commenting as.Not you?

Save information for future comments

Comment

Radu Tyrsina

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low#

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app#

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities#

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount#

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier#

Microsoft states its privacy policy on your email in wake of court case#

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier

Microsoft states its privacy policy on your email in wake of court case