Microsoft launch inquiry on Israel use of tech for surveillance of Palestinians
8 days ago
- #Microsoft
- #Israel-Palestine
- #Surveillance
- Microsoft has launched an urgent external inquiry into allegations that Israel’s Unit 8200 used Azure for mass surveillance of Palestinians.
- The inquiry follows a Guardian investigation revealing Azure was used to store recordings of millions of Palestinian calls in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Microsoft stated that mass surveillance of civilians via Azure violates its terms of service.
- This is the second external review into Microsoft’s technology use by the Israeli military, with the first finding no evidence of non-compliance.
- Concerns arose among Microsoft executives that Israel-based employees may have concealed information about Azure’s use by Unit 8200.
- A worker-led campaign, No Azure for Apartheid, accuses Microsoft of complicity in genocide and demands cutting ties with the Israeli military.
- Leaked files indicate Microsoft knew in 2021 that Unit 8200 planned to move sensitive intelligence data to Azure, though executives claim unawareness of surveillance use.
- The inquiry will examine military-commercial agreements, with findings to be shared publicly.