Slashdot Mirror
MS Removes HTTPS From Hotmail For Troubled Nations
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has removed HTTPS from Hotmail for many US-embargoed or otherwise troubled countries. The current list of countries for which they no longer enable HTTPS is known to include Bahrain, Morocco, Algeria, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Journalists and others whose lives may be in danger due oppressive net monitoring in those countries may wish to use HTTPS everywhere and are also encouraged to migrate to non-Microsoft email providers, like Yahoo and Google." Update: 03/26 17:08 GMT by T : Reader Steve Gula adds the caveat that "Yahoo! only does HTTPS for authentication unless you're a paying member."
Perhaps these governments buy software from them ... they don't want to lose the sales.
Hotmail users who browse the web with Firefox may force the use of HTTPS by default—while using any Hotmail location setting—by installing the HTTPS Everywhere Firefox plug-in.
Why is summary recommending Yahoo in this instance? Last time I checked (10 mins ago) I couldn't get Yahoo mail to use https on regular pages. It seems Hotmail can still use https in the affected countries - as long as you explicitly type it in the address bar. Or use HTTPS Everywhere. Or choose a different country in your profile. So Hotmail is still better than Yahoo?
Now explain to my grandmother, who just got her first email last week, how and why she needs to do that.
On the other hand, the oppressive governments over there will LOVE that. It's probably even better than insecure FB or Twitter since everything ultimately goes to the people's emails.
As someone from one the mentioned countries, I'd like to ask Microsoft, do you realize now you might be very well putting many people at a greater risk of being arrested or killed. People are being KILLED for expressing some of their opinions in some of these places these days.
SHAME ON YOU MICROSOFT
Ah, those silly Microsoft programmers with their "bugs."
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
Wow, that's a lot less sensational than Microsoft depriving troubled nations of privacy. What are the chances that the story will be amended to reflect this?