Microsoft Acts Against Israeli Military Surveillance: A Tech Accountability Breakthrough
Microsoft disabled services to an Israeli military unit following reports that its AI and cloud products aided in mass surveillance of Palestinians. An internal review revealed violations of terms of service. This action follows investigations showing Microsoft's involvement in Israeli military operations, despite no evidence of harm targeting.
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- United States
Microsoft has taken decisive action to halt services to an Israeli military unit after determining that its AI and cloud computing technologies were used for extensive surveillance of Palestinians. The service suspension follows revelations from The Associated Press and The Guardian about the Israeli Ministry of Defense employing Microsoft's Azure platform during the Gaza conflict and West Bank occupation.
An investigation by AP in February highlighted a surge in Microsoft's technology use by the Israeli military, notably after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. It documented how Azure was crucial for transcribing and translating communications obtained through surveillance, which were then checked against AI systems for airstrike targeting.
Further reports indicated data storage and analysis in Microsoft's European cloud centers, leading to a second internal probe. The findings, yet to conclude, hinted at terms of use violations, prompting restrictions on some Azure services to specific Israeli units—though broader military contracts remain unchanged, sparking continued criticism.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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