Microsoft to tighten human rights measures after inquiry into Israel’s use of its tech

Key points

• Microsoft has said it will tighten human-rights controls when working with national security agencies after an inquiry into how the Israeli military used its cloud technology for the mass surveillance of Palestinians.
• On Thursday, Microsoft announced the completion of the inquiry and a series of new measures that include changes to how the company oversees employees with security clearances issued by foreign governments.
• Microsoft ordered the inquiry last year in response to a Guardian investigation with Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and Hebrew-language outlet Local Call revealing how the Israeli military used the company’s cloud to store a vast trove of intercepted Palestinian phone calls.
• Shortly after the inquiry was launched, Microsoft terminated the Israeli military’s access to cloud and AI services used to support the surveillance project after initial findings showed its spy agency, Unit 8200, had violated the company’s terms of service.
• In a summary of the inquiry’s outcome,...