Microsoft released information regarding government requests for information regarding its digital services. This the first time that Microsoft has done so. While it isn’t the first company to release this sort of information, the company has gone beyond normal reporting, providing a granular report of government requests for data that helps provide a better understanding for how the world of government inquiry functions. Microsoft’s data comes at an important moment. Discussions involving control of the Internet, cybersecurity regulation, and hacking scandals are dominant news topics not only because they matter, but due to their status as resoundingly current; the interplay between law, digital services, and your information has never been more active. Framing Microsoft’s disclosure is Twitter’s recent dissemination of data, including the fact that 1,858 requests for information from governments in 2012.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.