In one of the most heinous terrorist attacks in Paris in the last few weeks, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) worked diligently by providing critical information to the FBI within 45 minutes of the initial request. At the same time, the Windows-maker company said that extra snooping is required only under critical circumstances.
While talking about the FBI request related to the Charlie Hebdo case, Brad Smith, general counsel for Microsoft, said,
“Just two weeks ago, the French Government sought the content of e-mails from two customer accounts held by Microsoft when it was in the midst of pursuing the Charlie Hebdo suspects.”
He further mentioned that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was able to provide the necessary information to the FBI within 45 minutes of their request.
After the attack in Paris claiming up to 17 lives, the prime minister of UK, David Cameron, said that the security forces around the world require more vigilance and power over online communication mediums, as the world forces could not allow terrorists to communicate privately using Internet.
Earlier last week, EU online privacy watchdogs said that newly proposed surveillance programs might hinder with the privacy rights of individuals and it is important to draw a line between privacy and security. Proposing a similar approach, Smith said that it is important to change the laws governing online communication to ensure better safety standards. At the same time, he added that a legal process should be there for accessing personal data.
Earlier, Microsoft Corporation filed a patent for theatre mode, called “inconspicuous mode,” for its smartphone devices that will automatically enable silent mode while in the theatre. It comes with a bundle of features including muted sounds, zero notifications, minimal screen glow, and marginally bigger digital clock. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said that the users could tailor the app by setting individual preferences.
This article has been written by Prakash Pandey.
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