Apple, Cisco, AT&T Join Microsoft in Fight Against Global Search Warrant
Apple, Cisco and AT&T all filed amicus curiae briefs on Friday supporting Microsoft in its appeal of a decision requiring it to hand over data about an Irish customer to U.S. law enforcement officials. Verizon filed an amicus brief on Microsoft’s behalf on Tuesday. The case highlights how the advent of cloud computing has technology companies overcoming their competitive differences in order to challenge troublesome data-protection laws.
In this case, U.S. magistrate judge James Francis IV decided that pursuant to the Stored Communication Act, Microsoft must provide law enforcement officials with the contents of an Irish customer’s email, which is stored on servers located in Dublin, Ireland. Microsoft and its peers argue the warrant defies both the Stored Communications Act and numerous international law constructs, including treaties the United States has in place with other countries — Ireland among them — regarding how to handle requests for data about each others’ citizens.
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