Microsoft Collaborated To Deliver Encrypted User Data To NSA

[UK_fan_05]

So the Kinect has to be on ALL the time huh?

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/a...ta-to-nsa.aspx

Originally Posted by gameinformer

A new report sheds light on the depth of interaction between Microsoft and the NSA's Prism spy program. The report alleges that the Redmond, Washington company collected and/or enabled the collection of private emails and Skype transmissions.

According to the report England's Guardian newspaper, in addition to unencrypted Outlook.com email and SkyDrive files, the NSA has been collecting Skype video since June 2012 and audio as early as November 2010. As you might recall, Skype is the software that powers chat on Xbox One.

Additionally, Microsoft confirmed that the Xbox One will require the Kinect to be on in order to function. The camera and microphone bundle also offers a standby mode so that users can activate the console by voice at any time. Microsoft has also stated that the Kinect can be set to different power states so that it can be fully powered down when not in use.

“We have clear principles which guide the response across our entire company to government demands for customer information for both law enforcement and national security issues," a Microsoft representative told Game Informer. "First, we take our commitments to our customers and to compliance with applicable law very seriously, so we provide customer data only in response to legal processes. Second, our compliance team examines all demands very closely, and we reject them if we believe they aren’t valid. Third, we only ever comply with orders about specific accounts or identifiers, and we would not respond to the kind of blanket orders discussed in the press over the past few weeks, as the volumes documented in our most recent disclosure clearly illustrate."

"To be clear, Microsoft does not provide any government with blanket or direct access to SkyDrive, Outlook.com, Skype or any Microsoft product. Finally when we upgrade or update products legal obligations may in some circumstances require that we maintain the ability to provide information in response to a law enforcement or national security request. There are aspects of this debate that we wish we were able to discuss more freely. That’s why we’ve argued for additional transparency that would help everyone understand and debate these important issues.”

The details presented today follow earlier reports in the Guardian and Washington Post that also accuse Apple, Google, Facebook, and Yahoo of being complicit in the Prism spy program.

[domingos35]

whatever!!!

[waka flocka]

Originally Posted by domingos35

whatever!!!

Sounds like the white flag of defeat has been raised by this forums worst MS fanyboy

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by domingos35

whatever!!!

Whatever my ass glad I never re-bought my 360 and definitely want to GTFO off Windows now this is a massive invasion of privacy and anyone who just shrugs it off deserves whatever happens to them in life when there shit is stolen from them.

[ReverendSlim]

I'm fine with it. It just means the NSA gets to enjoy me playing Kinect games in a crotchless bunny suit.

Uh... not that I own one yet. Yeah... that's the ticket...

[waka flocka]

From Reddit (more details further down )

http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/c...ess_to/cb0o0tz

I used to write games for the XBox360 and one of the TCRs for XBLA games is that you cannot do any encryption or compression on the voice chat data for online games. We could have compressed the crap out of them and saved a ton of bandwidth but I guess if we did that then the NSA would have to figure out the compression/encryption on each game.

[Blu-Generation]

Microsoft ad line:



http://www.microsoft.com/security/on.../overview.aspx

I guess people thought they meant priority to protect, and not priority to steal.

Good job MS for teaming up with the NSA to operate on illegal activity.

In the words of Major Nelson, "That's one way of doing it."

The best part is, they can get away with it.

Here's another article on this subject,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013...tion-user-data

[Mouse]

Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. First off - I won't be buying an XBox One or any console Microsoft makes, ever. BUT it is not because of the government and their "alleged" conspiracy. Why? Because I think everyone should be monitored. I don't trust you. I don't trust the public in general. It's not like the government is just going to sit around and watch millions of people sitting around in their living room scratching their butt to see if some kid is smoking pot to bust them on such a low scale crime. No. They would be watching for terrorists who plan to murder hundreds or thousands of people.

So while I doubt such a conspiracy even exists - I would gladly let the government spy on me picking my nose while I play a video game if it means they save even one life.

P.S. - I think all of you who do not agree with me are knowingly doing something illegal and should be looked into further. :P

[hellmonkey]

@ Mouse, I do not agree that everyone should be monitored. Cameras out in public watching crowds and traffic is one thing, but there no reason ever that any government should have unwarranted 24/7 audio and video access to the inside of everyones house. Its called probable cause. Im the biggest social prude you will ever meet, I don't smoke, drink, do any kind of drugs, no orgies. Its just me and my family and I have nothing to hide, but there is no way in hell I am ok with a camera in my house spying on me.

This is some really scary crap and all the more reason that I hate our government.

[The_Donster]

Kind of late to the party, had a day out with my family. I think some for the most part have covered most of what I had to say if I had replied earlier. The fact of the matter is Microsoft(along with countless other companies recently) wasn't given a choice in the matter and served affidavits to hand over the information. Of course it would seem that every news agency on this green earth has twisted it to increase their viewing audience if my google search says anything. I was discussing this with my wife and she brought up a interesting question. If the shoe was on the other foot and this was Sony, would you standing there with a rope ready to hang them? I'm sure its just a matter of time for any communication company. If you have nothing to hide or aren't buying the XBOne why does it really matter? In the end it is much ado about nothing.

[Blu-Generation]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

If you have nothing to hide or aren't buying the XBOne why does it really matter? In the end it is much ado about nothing.

Actually, spying is generally bad period, whether one has something to hide or not is not the point. And if the shoe is on Sony, they'll be call out too.

Just look at how much hate they got for the $599 price tag...

Other than that, I agree with your point.

And to those who say shut up if one won't buy the XB1, I guess I can understand that logic. So I'll shut up.

[Mavrick]

Originally Posted by Blu-Generation

Actually, spying is generally bad period, whether one has something to hide or not is not the point. And if the shoe is on Sony, they'll be call out too.

Just look at how much hate they got for the $599 price tag...

Other than that, I agree with your point.

And to those who say shut up if one won't buy the XB1, I guess I can understand that logic. So I'll shut up.

We are no longer innocent until proven guilty, everyone is guilty until fund innocent. The "free" world is becoming more and more like a dictatorship every day. Not just the USA but the UK too.

I found it amazing that your right to remain silent was taken away from you and I haven't seen a single popular news outlet run with the story!

Right to remain silent exised from the Bill of Rights June 17th 2013

In a 5-4 ruling, the justices ruled that a person no longer has the right to remain silent as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment. In relevant part, the Fifth Amendment mandates that no one “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.”

Thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision in Salinas v. Texas, that part of the Bill of Rights has been excised — and has joined the list of so many other fundamental liberties that now lie on the scrap heap of history.

Guilty or not, suspects in the United States no longer have the right to remain silent. If they remain silent, moreover, that silence will now be interpreted as guilt and will indeed — despite what you see on television court and cop dramas — be used against that person in a court of law. Even, in fact, the highest court in the land.

I just feel sorry for the generations to come that will have to live in this world long after I'm gone. I think it's going to the dogs. Glad I won't be around to see it.

[Derb]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

I found it amazing that your right to remain silent was taken away from you and I haven't seen a single popular news outlet run with the story!

I guess because they're enjoying their silence while its still legal.

[NARMAK]

That law was circumvented like the entire constitution when Bush signed the 'Patriot' act. They can also take all the weapons off a family or individual, place you under martial law and take all your food in a time of emergency. It's all there in the legislation, but the main 'headlines' aren't the erosion of civil liberties, but of stupid idiots like Kim Kardashian who literally are famous for nothing. I mean, what does it tell a society and children, when you make a sex tape with a 'celebrity' and then suddenly can launch a million dollar 'business' off of it!

I absolutely revile the 'democracy' we're supposedly being told we live in and how the 'middle east' is full of savages yet here in 'liberated' countries, they're becoming just like them. The only difference being the colour of the skin, a nice shiny suit and hush hush developments whilst people keep shut.

"Who cares if it is targeted or not. Dont "click" on it or what not. The ads are there and oh well. I bet you got a smartphone and every app on there has ads (unless of course you are rooted but besides the point). So why is there no outcry against that and there is a constant outcry about ads on the XBOX dashboard? This is ridiculous, they are there and MS is making from it, you would be doing the same thing if it helped your business (logically speaking your business most likely wont be as big as MS therefor wouldnt really need the money but whatever).

Bottom line.... You can choose to look at the ad or not, same as taking a brochure!"

My problem is basically if i'm eating, whatever i'm eating, I don't want that moron invading camera to basically tell me I should go eat KFC, or McDonalds etc. In fact, i'm muslim, so I couldn't possibly eat meat etc. at such places. So yeah, that would really annoy me.

Targeted 'ads' online are a little different, and laws have been brought in about 'cookies' that have to be able to be changed to simply allow the site to be functional and not track purchases etc. that are then used for targeted ads.

You're really beginning to sound obnoxious imo. You don't seem to take the concerns of people like myself as being valid, and take the corporations line of being 'helpful' in offering you services they make a ton of money off of in an immoral way.

That's right, legal, but incredibly immoral.

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

My problem is basically if i'm eating, whatever i'm eating, I don't want that moron invading camera to basically tell me I should go eat KFC, or McDonalds etc. In fact, i'm muslim, so I couldn't possibly eat meat etc. at such places. So yeah, that would really annoy me.

Narmark then unfortunately you with everything that went on you have become part of the statistics because of the extreme 10% that are fundamentalists. What 99% of this country does not realize is that the Koran actually preaches peace. The book abhors violence in any and all instances. It is not as if Christianity does not have its extremists with the Kings of England that decided to invade the Middle East and try to overtake Jerusalem. Sadly that took place 600 years ago and most tend to sweep it under the rug as the Muslim extremists due to all the bombings and Al Quida and all that crap are at the forefront of peoples minds.

Sadly depending on the region they actually could target you so you would be able to eat the meat. In Dearborn Michigan the countries largest Arab populated area, they do serve Halal meats in some of the Mcdonalds there.

Idk its 7am and I feel I am rambling at this point, the easy solution would have been for MS to make Kinect optional while playing, its a good idea but forcing it on everyone for voice commands/always on etc. is a bad move make especially when the average consumer does know that it is easy to hack a PC network once you obtain the IP you want and access most cameras that are connected. If it was not required but was sold with each unit noone would care.