Microsoft: it's time for an international convention on government access to your data

Microsoft, forth with other companies take been in the news surrounding the US National Security Agency (NSA) and full general privacy concerns that government agencies accept like shooting fish in a barrel access to customer data. Brad Smith, General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs at Microsoft, recently published a weblog postal service detailing now is the fourth dimension for an international convention on government access to data.

U.s. President Barack Obama recently spoke almost the function of the NSA along with some important changes to come regarding surveillance practices. Smith goes on to talk about the upcoming World Economic Forum, which volition be held in Davos, Switzerland on Jan 21st. Privacy concerns volition be on the agenda at this meeting, equally well as the reform of authorities surveillance.

Smith notes that the time has come for a wider discussion about privacy and data protection against such practices, which is hoped to result in an international framework for both surveillance and data access rules to be formed and enforced around the globe. Nosotros're talking about homo rights and private privacy, but not to an extreme sense that governments and regime cannot tackle potential issues (ie. terrorism).

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Just how secure and individual is your personal information?

Since technology is developing at an alarming rate, which is viewed every bit goose egg curt of magical for enthusiasts such as you and I, protection for consumers besides has to accelerate to proceed up with how the world is changing. It'll be interesting to come across just how Microsoft (and other supporting companies / parties) can assist shape some new processes that enable information access to authorities while ensuring consumer privacy is protected.

A international framework would besides terminate confusion between regions when multiple countries are afflicted. Microsoft'south Smith provides an example as to how a convention could work on an international phase. With a world farther calculating and storing data in the cloud, clearer rules for data access would not but provide ameliorate slice of mind for consumers, but likewise ensure in that location are less hurdles for companies operating in one country for customers in some other.

Companies have also worked hard to fight for greater transparency with both Microsoft and Google suing the US Government over surveillance transparency. Previously stating that while NSA does non have straight admission to backend systems and services, the tech giants admitted they were legally unable to disembalm how many data requests accept been completed. Smith said the following in a previous article:

"We believe nosotros accept a clear right under the US constitution to share more data with the public. The purpose of our litigation is to uphold this right so that we tin can disclose boosted information."

We recommend you check out the full postal service over on TechNet, it's a really good Tuesday read. We'll keep our eyes open up for more details in the future of any potential plans for reform on an international calibration. That said, information technology'southward positive to see Microsoft take such a opinion on this issue, even if this post by Smith is published coincidentally afterwards mercenary hackers, HackingTeam, claimed they've gained total command over Windows Telephone for governments.

Source: TechNet

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