Apple, Google back MS fight

The US tech industry has come to the support of Microsoft and its case against the US government over secret data searches.

Apple, Amazon and Google have filed in support of the Beast of Redmond in its ongoing lawsuit with the Department of Justice. Microsoft is arguing that it should be allowed to inform a customer if they receive a request from US authorities asking for data on the person.

The case is one of several Microsoft has decided to lodge against the US government this year in order to provide clarity over mass surveillance. It revealed it had received over 5,000 demands for customer data since the start of 2015, with nearly half of them containing a gagging order that prevented the company from informing anyone, including the person whose details they were obliged to share, of the request.

The deadline for filing amicus curiae briefs in support of Microsoft's argument was on Friday. In addition to the tech giants, the company received backing from The Washington Post, the US Chamber of Commerce, Electronic Freedom Foundation, Delta Airlines and others. ®