Recent revelations have left millions of
Microsoft email service users concerned about the level of privacy they can expect when using their email accounts. Microsoft Corporation has admitted that it read emails in a Hotmail account belonging to a blogger that allegedly released the details of the corporation’s Windows 8 operating system before it was officially launched. Alex Kibkalo, a former Microsoft employee, was arrested recently in relation to transmitting elements of the Windows 8 code which led to screenshots being published online.
The news comes as a shock to users who very probably have never considered Microsoft’s email terms of service, but especially in light of the corporation’s criticism of rival Gmail. In a series of campaigns Microsoft has leveraged the fact that Google ‘scans’ emails as a selling point for its new Outlook.com service - Microsoft’s Hotmail service recently changed its name to Outlook.com.
According to the terms of service associated with Microsoft email, the corporation is permitted to read user emails. Section 5.2 of Microsoft’s terms of service suggests:
“You consent and agree that Microsoft may access, disclose, or preserve information associated with your use of the services, including (without limitation) your personal information and content, or information that Microsoft acquires about you through your use of the services (such as IP address or other third-party information) when Microsoft forms a good faith belief that doing so is necessary (a) to comply with applicable law or to respond to legal process from competent authorities; (b) to enforce this agreement or protect the rights or property of Microsoft or our customers; or (c) to help prevent a loss of life or serious physical injury to anyone.”
A statement from Microsoft related to this issue suggested:
“During an investigation of an employee we discovered evidence that the employee was providing stolen IP, including code relating to our activation process, to a third party. In order to protect our customers and the security and integrity of our products, we conducted an investigation over many months with law enforcement agencies in multiple countries. This included the issuance of a court order for the search of a home relating to evidence of the criminal acts involved. The investigation repeatedly identified clear evidence that the third party involved intended to sell Microsoft IP and had done so in the past.”
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