speaking in a panel discussion at The Aspen Institute last week went a step further. He clarified that that Microsoft was never asked by the United States government (or any other agency, for that matter) to install backdoor in its software:
“One, they have never done that, and two, we would fight it tooth and nail in the courts. Under the wiretapping statutes and FISA you can be compelled to provide technical assistance. If they said, put in a backdoor or something like that, we would fight it all the way to the Supreme Court. If the government did that, and I really don’t think they would, it would be at the complete expense of American competitiveness. Because if we put in a backdoor for the U.S. government, we couldn’t sell anywhere in the world, not even in America.”Sound logic! Microsoft, of course, is one of the more vocal proponents of transparency from the United States government in these matters, pointing towards the US Constitution when it comes to data share requests it receives from local authorities.]]>
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The perfect statement. I think this is succinct and true. Microsoft (and any other corporation for that matter) doesn’t really have any incentive to try and backdoor for the US Government. This is all they needed to say, so hopefully this issue can now be laid to rest.
I think they need to challenge even some of the court orders in a loud and public way, even if they eventually just give in to it. They need to back a big statement and fuss to the public about where they stand.
The people that believed this rumor impressed me with their trust in the printed word
and that’s all.