Microsoft has denied that its technology<\/a> is used by the Israeli military to harm Palestinian civilians in Gaza. <\/p>\nEarlier this month, the company said it had conducted an internal review with the help of an external firm that found \u201cno evidence that Microsoft\u2019s Azure and AI technologies, or any of our other software, have been used to harm people or that IMOD has failed to comply with our terms of service or our AI Code of Conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n
The review did not soothe all employees’ concerns, however, as the company acknowledged its review was limited in scope because it didn’t “have visibility into how customers use our software on their own servers or other devices.”<\/p>\n
Lopez rejected the company’s recent review in his email to employees.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeadership rejects our claims that Azure technology is being used to target or harm civilians in Gaza,\u201d he wrote. \u201cThose of us who have been paying attention know that this is a bold-faced lie. Every byte of data that is stored on the cloud (much of it likely containing data obtained by illegal mass surveillance) can and will be used as justification to level cities and exterminate Palestinians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Representatives for Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune.<\/em><\/p>\nWho are the ‘No Azure for Apartheid’ group?<\/h2>\n The protest group behind the disruption is made up of former and current Microsoft workers. Established in 2024, the group is demanding that the tech giant cease all Azure contracts and partnerships with the Israeli military and government.<\/p>\n
The group also wants Microsoft to: “Make all ties to the Israeli state, military, and tech industry publicly known, including weapons manufacturers and contractors. Conduct a transparent and independent audit of Microsoft\u2019s technology contracts, services, and investments.”<\/p>\nThe protest was part of a larger campaign by a group called “No Azure for Apartheid.”<\/figcaption>Photo by JASON REDMOND\/AFP via Getty Images<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
The protest group has officially rejected Microsoft’s review, which was conducted earlier this month.<\/p>\n
In the statement made to GeekWire, one of the group’s organizers, Hossam Nasr, said: \u201cIn one breath, they claim that their technology is not being used to harm people in Gaza,\u201d while also admitting \u201cthey don\u2019t have insight into how their technologies are being used\u201d on Israeli military servers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no form of selling technology to an army that is plausibly accused of genocide \u2014 whose leaders are wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court \u2014 that would be ethical,\u201d Nasr added. \u201cThat\u2019s the premise that we reject.\u201d<\/p>\n
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com<\/a><\/p>\n
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