Microsoft: Gov’t Warrant Seeking Customer Info Stored Abroad Threatens Privacy For “Everyone On The Planet”

Microsoft told government regulators that going forward with a search warrant seeking customer information stored abroad “would violate international law and treaties, and reduce the privacy protection of everyone on the planet.” Prosecutors are seeking customer emails that Microsoft has stored in Dublin, Ireland in relation to alleged drug trafficking and money laundering. Verizon also weighed in on the case, which could have far-reaching consequences for tech companies, many of whom store data abroad. Prosecutors argue that in the case of electronic data, the geographic location of a server is not meaningful.