Microsoft tightens human rights safeguards after probe into Israeli army's surveillance tech use

Microsoft has announced a series of internal measures aimed at bolstering its human rights safeguards, responding to an investigation that revealed its cloud technology was utilized by the Israeli army for the mass surveillance of Palestinians. While the company has taken steps, critics argue these actions do not fully address the concerns raised.

The issue came to light in 2024 through a joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call. The report detailed how Israel's elite intelligence Unit 8200, comparable to the U.S. NSA, employed Microsoft's Azure cloud platform to operate a large-scale surveillance system. This system reportedly allowed intelligence officers to collect, listen to, and analyze millions of Palestinian phone calls daily, a practice described as "indiscriminate" and a violation of Microsoft's terms of service.

In response to the revelations, Microsoft initiated an internal investigation and subsequently terminated the Israeli army's access to the specific cloud and artificial intelligence services involved in the surveillance project. A sensitive aspect of the investigation involved allegations that some employees within Microsoft's Israeli subsidiary experienced "conflicting loyalties" between their professional duties and support for the Israeli military, particularly after the October 7, 2023 attacks. Concerns were reportedly raised at the highest levels of Microsoft's U.S. management regarding the transparency of some Israeli-based employees about the use of the company's technologies by Unit 8200.

Microsoft recently announced the departure of its Israeli division's director, with local media suggesting it was linked to internal ethics code violations. Several other executives have also reportedly left the company. The Guardian also established that some employees managing projects with Unit 8200 had previously served in the elite unit or were reservists. However, these departures and the specific roles of these employees were not detailed in Microsoft's official five-page summary of its findings. The company stated its factual conclusions remain unchanged and that it intends to adopt a series of recommendations.

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Our factual findings remain unchanged and we intend to adopt a series of recommendations.