LONDON: Microsoft has said it will strengthen human rights oversight for national security agencies using its products, following an internal inquiry into how the Israeli military used its cloud technology — a relationship that deepened sharply following the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza.
The tech giant said it had completed the review — launched last year in response to concerns about the alleged use of Microsoft Azure and artificial intelligence tools by the Israeli Ministry of Defense for the mass surveillance of Palestinian civilians — and announced a series of new governance measures.
“Our relationship with IMOD is structured as a standard commercial relationship,” Microsoft said in its report.
“These require customers to implement core responsible AI practices — such as human oversight and access controls — and prohibit certain uses of our cloud and AI services, such as uses that facilitate the mass surveillance of civilian populations.”
The inquiry was triggered by an investigation by The Guardian, in collaboration with Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, which revealed that the Israeli military had used Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure to collect, play back and analyse the content of millions of intercepted Palestinian phone calls daily across Gaza and the West Bank.
Shortly after the inquiry was launched, Microsoft terminated the Israeli military’s access to the relevant cloud and AI services after initial findings showed its signals intelligence unit — Unit 8200 — had violated the company’s terms of service.
Microsoft said its “factual findings remain the same” and that the new measures were designed to improve the effectiveness of its human rights governance.
They include stronger pre-contract review processes for national security-related engagements and a review of how Microsoft oversees security clearance in relevant non-US markets.
“A team has undertaken a thorough review of the existing process and is developing ways to efficiently apply it while improving the effectiveness of our human rights due diligence,” it said.
Other measures include periodic reviews to check whether Microsoft’s acceptable use policies are being followed when there are “new political circumstances or changes to sensitive projects,” as well as steps to strengthen human rights due diligence in “conflict-affected and high-risk areas.”
Microsoft also pledged to provide additional guidance to employees on the acceptable use of its products and services, along with extra channels for staff to raise concerns about the development or deployment of technology and the company’s commitments.
The announcement comes amid sustained pressure from rights groups and activists.
Human Rights Watch called on the company in October to “avoid contributing” to rights abuses and said heightened scrutiny of Microsoft’s contracts with Israeli authorities was long overdue, given the protracted nature of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
Campaign group No Azure for Apartheid has also staged repeated protests targeting the company.
Pro-Palestine demonstrators in late August occupied the office of Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, at the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Protesters this week were at an annual conference in San Francisco where Microsoft unveiled new products. Signs reading “Microsoft powers genocide” and “Cut ties with Israel now” were unfurled.
Agencies