US DoJ eases gagging rules, Microsoft drops data slurp alert lawsuit

The US Department of Justice has limited its gagging policy that bans companies from alerting customers when their personal information is accessed by the Feds. As a result, Microsoft has dropped one of its lawsuits against the American government, which argued it had the right to tell its customers when Uncle Sam demanded …

[Anonymous Coward]

Certainly no backroom deals going at all. Absolutely nothing to do with a recent Azure deal involving classified material.

Tomorrow I'm going to take my flying car for a run out.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Certainly no backroom deals going at all. Absolutely nothing to do with a recent Azure deal involving classified material."

The feds rolled over so no.

And I note Microsoft are still fighting having to release offshore user data for US warrants too....

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry but how exactly have the feds rolled over?

How will you know the feds have rolled over? Do you trust Microsoft who just got a nice big paycheck from them to be honest?

Microsoft dropped a law suit, the feds promised to be good to a company the government has just handed a lucrative contract and even if they weren't Microsoft would not be able to say so.

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course this is a bad thing. It's MS.

I notice that Google don't feel the need to pursue this kind of lefty friendly pro-terrorist agenda....

[James 51]

Don't feel the troll folks.

[Anonymous Coward]

Youre wrong

"It's MS."

Microsoft's actions here - Windows 10 aside for now - bespeaks a pro-privacy pro-freedom agenda.

Generally speaking, the gov't should be issuing warrants etc. OPENLY when going through people's papers, documents, electronics, effects etc. They have enough "stealth" powers already, probably more than we realize.

I get that this might not be as practical when defeating terrorism, but the use of stealth should be very narrow. I would venture that the folks at Microsoft noticed the requests became "general purpose" rather than narrowly focused, and realized the gov't was being abusive.

So, "Hello", we're not just fodder for govt' abuse. There should be checks on invasive surveillance.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Youre wrong

There's always got to be one....

[Anonymous Coward]

"Windows 10 aside for now"

That's the problem, now it looks more "don't try to steal the data I stolen from my serfs customers!"

[Harry Stottle]

a tiny victory

for the connected classes

much more significant win for the Microsoft PR team.

[Anonymous Coward]

Am I missing something here?

Absolutely nothing has changed other than Microsoft dropping it's case. The DoJ can and will do whatever they want backed by the law.

This is nothing but a PR stunt by MS and is meaningless.

[amanfromMars 1]

Awaiting Orders?

NEUKlearer HyperRadioProACTive IT?

A Temporary Schtum is always Expensive ...... but Effective and it allows Virtual Realisation Root ReProgramming of Humanity with New Virtual Tools at One's Beck and Call.

How about them Apples, Microsoft?

Wanna Taste of the Fruits of the Trees of Life ....... and Harvest Immaculate Bounty/Heavenly Reward?

Yours if you Want and Need ITs Seeds and Almost Perfect Sources BetaTesting Imperfect Forces.

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: Awaiting Orders?

With particular and peculiar regard to the comments and the tale and trail toasted and roasted here on El Reg, it is helpful to be aware of the difficulties and hurdles to overcome in order to be able and/or enabled to move on into the future and ITs new fangled entangling virtual spaces, at an elevated accelerated pace.

The following is a pointer .......

amanfromMars [1710250922] ..... adding more comment on http://www.thedailybell.com/news-analysis/3-stories-that-show-big-brother-is-alive-and-well/

What if the government started recording every key stroke and telephone conversation we make and stored it in some huge complex where it could be retrieved if Mueller and his henchmen decided they didn't like us or found us to be getting in the way of their agenda? ..... TheDoctorWhoCuresCancer

The problem then which presents itself, Doc, is understanding and acting effectively to lead in the proper direction with any prime information which has been shared/purloined/discovered/uncovered. And one has to be aware that some information is deliberately placed into the paths of hunters to test for any viable future intelligence in their sysadmins which can be of assistance on/in other subsequent third party steps.

Is that a current phenomenon and virtual reality?