US EditionMicrosoft Asked FBI for Help Tracking Palestinian Protests
Microsoft sought FBI help amid nearly a year of employee protests over ties to Israel and an investigation into alleged misuse of its servers by Israeli military.
- Microsoft asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help tracking protests on its Redmond, Washington campus, flagging internal emails and cooperating with local authorities while deleting some posts.
- Activists say management's links to Israel's military and surveillance reports drove protests as employees pressed Microsoft for nearly a year to sever ties amid allegations about Microsoft Azure's role in Israeli surveillance.
- Organizers estimate about 200 current and former staffers support the campaign within Microsoft’s 200,000-strong workforce, with protests including arrests on the Redmond plaza and kayak demonstrations near CEO Satya Nadella and President Brad Smith's homes on Lake Washington.
- In response, Microsoft hired outside investigators and said it will act if customers violate terms of service, aiming to complete the probe within several weeks.
- Microsoft's reputation now faces pressure as protests spotlight its ties to Israel, threatening its standing as employer and global actor; activists say FBI involvement won't silence them and warn global backlash could spur boycotts.
15 Articles
15 Articles
The spokesman-Review
The Seattle TimesMicrosoft asked FBI for help tracking Palestinian protests
For the better part of a year, Microsoft Corp. has failed to quell a small but persistent revolt by employees bent on forcing the company to sever business ties with Israel over its war in Gaza. The world’s largest software maker has requested help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in tracking protests, worked with local authorities to try and prevent them, flagged internal emails ...
Microsoft Asked FBI to Track Pro-Palestinian Protests, Fired Dissenting Staff: Report
Quick Summary Microsoft is facing a rare employee rebellion over its contracts with Israel. The company sought FBI help to monitor protests, suspended and fired dissenters, and tightened event security. But activists continue to disrupt events, stage sit-ins, and pressure executives, raising big questions about tech’s role in war and the limits of workplace activism. Why are Microsoft employees protesting? For more than a year, Microsoft has bee…
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