<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:14pt"><div><a href="http:///">From: <font>http://news.yahoo.com/microsoft-bold-plan-beat-nsa-053014453.html</font><br></a></div><div><br></div><div>"Microsoft is tired of waiting for
the United States government to rein in the National Security Agency so
it’s taking matters into its own hands. <i>The Financial Times</i> reports that <a data-rapid_p="9" href="http://bgr.com/tag/microsoft">Microsoft</a>
“will allow foreign customers to have their personal data stored on
servers outside the U.S.,” a move that other tech companies such as <a data-rapid_p="10" href="http://bgr.com/tag/google">Google</a> have so far resisted due to cost concerns. <span id="more-2873129"></span></div><div>However, Microsoft’s general counsel Brad Smith tells <i>The Financial Times</i>
that “people should have the ability to know whether their data are
being subjected to the laws and access of governments in some other
country and should have the ability to make an informed choice of where
their data resides.”</div><div>That Microsoft is willing to go this far shows how much the <a data-rapid_p="11" href="http://bgr.com/2013/12/09/nsa-reform-apple-google/">NSA spying scandal has damaged trust</a> between American tech companies and their international customers. <a data-rapid_p="12" href="http://bgr.com/2013/12/05/microsoft-nsa-advanced-persistent-threat/">Microsoft even took the unusual step</a>
late last year of classifying the United States government as “advanced
persistent threat” to its customers’ security, a designation that the
company normally uses only cyber terrorists sponsored by foreign
governments."</div><div><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18.6667px; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;">--------------------------quote ends-------------------------------------------------------</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18.6667px; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;">Jim Bell's comment begins:</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18.6667px; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"> Well, I suppose it's desirable that such big companies talk like they're fighting back against USG/NSA, but their final 'bite' had better be far more serious and definitive than their current 'bark'. <br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18.6667px; font-family: times new roman,new
york,times,serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"> Jim Bell<br></div></div></body></html>