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In the last few hours some news regarding the company has come out Microsoft, not too reassuring news due to their attention to privacy. In recent years Microsoft has tried to distinguish itself, in words 1, for greater attention to the privacy of its users.
However, we know that it's not really like that for what concerns Windows 10 2 3 4 nor as regards the new Microsoft Edge 5. Of the latter we already talked not too long ago because it was one of the worst Browsers as far as the privacy of those who used it was concerned. THE Microsoft's troubles, therefore, they start from very far away.
The complaint to the EU antitrust
Microsoft was recently accused and reported to the EU antitrust by Slack of engaging in unfair competition 6. Basically according to the accusation Microsoft would have inserted the product Teams in its Office 365 suite effectively forcing its installation for millions of users. It is therefore perhaps no coincidence that i Microsoft's revenues took off in the last quarter 7, certainly thanks to the lockdown but perhaps also thanks to some nudge. We will see how antitrust will express itself.
Microsoft's troubles in the United States
In addition to this, it was news a few days ago that in the United States the company was accused of sharing its users' data with third parties. Among these companies there is also, but not only, the omnipresent Facebook 8.
We already know that Facebook collects user data, even those who are not registered with Facebook, thanks to his tracers scattered all over the web. Facebook is in fact, together with Google, Adobe and Amazon, one of the major culprits for what we call web garbage, or cookies and tracers Of every kind.
Warning: this is official news 9, you know that we tend not to make conspiracy theories or give unfounded news. But keep in mind that it is just an accusation. Therefore the San Francisco court will first have to express itself.
Microsoft's troubles and doubts about Microsoft
These doubts, however, are legitimate given their past and we take the opportunity to remember how absurd it is that in Italy we are granting Microsoft, a private US company, the data of our students. In fact, it is recent news that the Ministry of Education will adopt the suite Microsoft's Office 365 for over 30 thousand Italian school email accounts 10. And best wishes to free software.
Furthermore, during the lockdown, with the excuse of the emergency, they all rushed towards Microsoft 365 And Skype beyond Google Meet And Zoom. Completely ignoring the existence of alternative free software. Also for school 11 12.
Germany, meanwhile, has been around for more than a year the use of Microsoft 365 in schools is prohibited. Precisely for a matter of privacy. 13.
Within schools and public administration the use of free software it's for us essential And fundamental.
Many things are moving and many letters have been sent to places of power to try to make people understand the importance of all this. Here are some open letters:
The open letters
- One was written by friends of Digital Ethics. They ask that it no longer be used in universities Zoom for his famous security and privacy issues. The letter was sent toBrera Academy because he forced his students to use Zoom for their mandatory Computer Science Fundamentals test: (Brera Academy) Invitation to replace Zoom
- Another very interesting open letter was sent by Luca Campana to the members of the CRC and the Board of Directors of ISPRA plus other personalities including the current Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The letter offers many interesting ideas and we recommend reading it: I fear the Greeks who bring gifts to LibreItalia
- The latest report is the open letter reported by the journalist Arturo Di Corinto for Il Manifesto and sent to Minister Azzolina. It's an appeal from the professor Angelo Raffaele Meo and free software associations. You can read it here: Enough with closed software: letter to Minister Azzolina.
We share all these initiatives and we also believe it is essential that everyone does their part. If at school they ask you to use proprietary software complain. If at work they force you to use Whatsapp complain if you are in a position to do so. Let's free ourselves from this passive acceptance.
THE Microsoft's troubles they are just the beginning and we hope that all companies will be led to rethink their business model.
Those who have been following us for a long time know well that they exist ethical alternatives, safe And free for almost all emblazoned products. TheAlternatives it is not an association and we have no way of putting pressure on anyone.
But knowing that there is an ethical alternative to the product they want force to use it is part of the journey we want to take together with you. Raising everyone's awareness is our goal.
- Microsoft reassures: Teams is safe and has no privacy problems[↩]
- Microsoft's new small print – how your personal data is (ab)used[↩]
- Microsoft is infesting Windows 10 with annoying ads[↩]
- Hey Microsoft, Stop Installing Apps On My PC Without Asking[↩]
- Web Browsers Privacy: What Do Browsers Say When They Phone Home?[↩]
- Slack sues Microsoft for EU antitrust over Teams[↩]
- Microsoft's revenues are growing but the cloud sector is slowing down[↩]
- Microsoft accused of sharing data of Office 365 business subscribers with Facebook and its app devs[↩]
- Complaint in pdf[↩]
- 30 thousand Italian school email accounts move to Microsoft[↩]
- The protection of children's data comes first[↩]
- Providers Open source for the school[↩]
- Office 365 declared illegal in German schools due to privacy risks[↩]
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