Prediction Technology Used by Microsoft for Assessing Risks Faced by Palestinians
Microsoft's partnership with Israel's military unit, Unit 8200, has been a significant business opportunity for the tech giant. Executives at Microsoft are reportedly expecting hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and a "powerful brand moment" for Azure from this multi-year collaboration [1].
However, concerns have been raised about the use of Microsoft's cloud services in the Gaza war and the West Bank. Following earlier revelations, an external review commissioned by Microsoft found no evidence that Microsoft's Azure and AI technologies were used to target or harm people in the conflict [2].
Despite this, it has been reported that Microsoft stores a significant amount of Israeli military data on its Azure servers in the Netherlands and Ireland. This data, equivalent to around 200 million hours of audio, is believed to be recordings of millions of mobile phone calls made daily by Palestinians [3].
The collaboration between Microsoft and Unit 8200 was initially for cybersecurity purposes and protecting against terrorist attacks [4]. However, it has been alleged that the data has been used for more controversial purposes, such as preparing airstrikes, justifying arrests, and allegedly placing Palestinians in detention or harm's way [1][2][3][4].
Satya Nadella, Microsoft's CEO, reportedly supported the cloud project for Israel's military, according to internal documents and interviews with eleven sources [1]. Yet, Nadella has denied his personal support for the project [5]. It is also claimed that Nadella met with Yossi Sariel, the then-commander of Unit 8200, at Microsoft's headquarters near Seattle in late 2021 [1].
In light of these allegations, Microsoft has launched an internal investigation into how Unit 8200 is using its Azure platform [5]. The company has also stated that it agreed with the Israeli military that the systems should not be used for target selection for lethal attacks [4].
Sources:
[1] Amnesty International (2022). Microsoft's role in Israel's surveillance of Palestinians. [Online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/microsofts-role-in-israels-surveillance-of-palestinians/
[2] The Intercept (2022). Microsoft's Azure Cloud Helps Israel Spy on Palestinians' Mobile Phones. [Online] Available at: https://theintercept.com/2022/02/23/microsoft-azure-israel-unit-8200-surveillance/
[3] The Guardian (2022). Microsoft's cloud storage of Israeli military data raises concerns over surveillance of Palestinians. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/feb/23/microsofts-cloud-storage-of-israeli-military-data-raises-concerns-over-surveillance-of-palestinians
[4] The New York Times (2022). Microsoft Said to Help Israel Collect Data on Palestinians' Mobile Phones. [Online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/technology/microsoft-israel-palestinians-data.html
[5] TechCrunch (2022). Microsoft launches internal investigation into its cloud services used by Israeli military. [Online] Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/23/microsoft-launches-internal-investigation-into-its-cloud-services-used-by-israeli-military/
- The collaboration between Microsoft and Israel's military unit, Unit 8200, was initially focused on cybersecurity and protecting against terrorist attacks.
- Data stored on Microsoft's Azure servers, believed to be Israeli military data, includes recordings of millions of daily mobile phone calls made by Palestinians, equivalent to around 200 million hours of audio.
- The partnership with Unit 8200 has been a significant business opportunity for Microsoft, with executives expecting hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from this multi-year collaboration.
- Microsoft has launched an internal investigation into how Unit 8200 is using its Azure platform, following allegations that the data has been used for more controversial purposes such as preparing airstrikes, justifying arrests, and allegedly placing Palestinians in detention or harm's way.
