back to article Judge green lights Microsoft vs Uncle Sam gag order case

Microsoft is clear to sue the US government for gagging the company from telling users when their data has been accessed by the State. The lawsuit, filed last April, jumped another legal hurdle this week – thanks to the Washington judge who also battered President Trump's executive order on travel. It's Microsoft's fourth …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    you can't sue Uncle Sam

    because we can't tell you that your 4th Ammendment rights might have been violated.

    What's wrong with that then?

    Nothing if you are a fan of Uncle Sam invasion of your rights.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: you can't sue Uncle Sam

      It's worse than that.. you can sue the government but only if "they" decide to let you sue them.

      1. Vector

        Re: you can't sue Uncle Sam

        No, it's yet another modern privacy catch 22. The only parties that have standing to sue can't because no one can or will tell them that they have standing.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Cloud..

    Other peoples computers you have no control over, with no expectation over your privacy or security.

    1. Vector

      Re: The Cloud..

      Which is why I refuse to use cloud storage. That and the whole MegaUpload fiasco. I feel sorry for all the legitimate users of that service.

      My data is mine! If the government wants to see it, they need to serve me with a warrant!

    2. Paul Crawford Silver badge

      Re: The Cloud..

      Of course if the cloud companies had implemented proper user-side encryption for data storage this warrant would be moot as the companies would never have the keys. However, that would also restrict their ability to whore you to advertisers...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The Cloud..

        Am I missing something here? Theres absolutely nobody stopping you encrypting your files before you upload them to cloud storage using $TOOL of your choice.

        In terms of cloud data security I feel that it is entirely my own responsibility as with any security and I prefer it that way, if the cloud provider encrypts for you, it might as well not be encrypted.

        Now treating the cloud as anything other than transient storage, thats a different discussion and primarily why I don't use Cloud storage.

  3. mike panero

    Trump and Deja Vu

    I am sure I asked a hundred people if they had experienced deja vu and Donald Trump

    They all had beards and mac based laptops

    I awoke hot confused and with an erection

    Thank God, wood seperates dreams from reality!

    1. Nolveys

      Re: Trump and Deja Vu

      I've read that post five times now and I am no closer to understanding it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Trump and Deja Vu

        Same here. The only tenuous link I can find in that post is "Deja Vu" is a Mac font and the hipsters have Macs.

  4. GrapeBunch

    Fighting the good fight

    </cynicism> Whatever happens, it's refreshing to see MS fight for its customers.

    1. Updraft102

      Re: Fighting the good fight

      "The US government wants to spy on our customers? That's OUR job!"

      --Microsoft

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ignore gag orders

    Hold back a few juicy ones. Release the rest. So. Wanna go to court?

  6. JaitcH
    Happy

    What the USA . . . and the Whole World Needs

    is a bunch more like James L. Robart, U,S, Federal District Judge of Seattle, Washington.

    Too frequently judges bow in obsequence to their government. Witness the average UK magistrate. At age 69 likely Judge Robart isn't up for promotion, so sticking his finger in so-called president Drumph's eye won't affect him. (Assuming he doesn't use Twitter)

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