Microsoft backs CLOUD Act's inclusion in Congressional spending bill

As the Supreme Courtroom mulls arguments in a privacy fight betwixt Microsoft and the Justice Department, a piece of legislation currently making its way through Congress could help bring an end to the matter.

The Deject (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Utilise of Data) Deed, which would create a legal structure for how law enforcement tin request private data stored by companies overseas, has been included every bit part of the jitney spending bill currently under consideration in Congress. Microsoft, who has been a big proponent of the Cloud Act, reiterated its support this week past bankroll the legislation's inclusion in the spending nib. From Microsoft:

The proposed CLOUD Act creates a modern legal framework for how law enforcement agencies tin admission information beyond borders. It's a strong statute and a good compromise that reflects recent bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, as well as back up from the Department of Justice, the White Business firm, the National Clan of Attorneys General and a broad cross section of technology companies. Information technology besides responds straight to the needs of foreign governments frustrated about their inability to investigate crimes in their own countries. The Cloud Act addresses all of this, while ensuring appropriate protections for privacy and man rights. And information technology gives tech companies like Microsoft the ability to stand up up for the privacy rights of our customers around the world. The bill as well includes a strong statement about the importance of preventing governments from using the new constabulary to require that U.South. companies create backdoors effectually encryption, an important boosted privacy safeguard.

The budget beak successfully passed the House of Representatives on Thursday, and the Senate will consider it adjacent. If it passes, the legistlation could touch whether the Supreme Court opts to issue a ruling in a awaiting case involving information stored overseas.

The legal fight dates back to 2022, when Microsoft was served with a domestic warrant for emails stored on a data center in Ireland. Microsoft argues that U.S. law doesn't grant the government the right to access private data stored abroad, instead suggesting that the government should work with Irish authorities to secure the information. The government argues that Microsoft should be forced to plough over the information because it is headquartered in the U.S. An appeals court previously sided with Microsoft in 2022.

Though the CLOUD Act has been embraced by major tech firms like Microsoft, Google, and Apple, it has its opponents. Following the passage of the omnibus bill in the Business firm of Representatives today, the Electronic Frontier Foundation said, "Because of failures by some lawmakers to review and markup legislation in a responsible manner, the dangerous cantankerous-border data pecker the Cloud Act was only approved by the Firm of Representatives in a 256-167 vote for a massive omnibus spending nib."

Should the Deject Act pass, Microsoft says "the U.Due south. government will need to movement apace to establish with other like-minded countries new international agreements, similar to what has already been negotiated between the U.Southward. and the United kingdom."

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