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Terrorists No Longer Welcome On OneDrive, Outlook, Xbox Live (betanews.com)
Microsoft has updated its anti-terrorism policies. In a blog post, the Redmond, Washington-based company said that it would remove "terrorist content" from a fleet of its services including OneDrive, Outlook and Xbox Live, reports BetaNews. For its search engine Bing, however, Microsoft says that it would only remove links when it is required by local law, citing free expression for all. The company adds that it would fund research for a tool that could help it better scan such content and flag image, audio and video. From company's blog post: There is no universally accepted definition of terrorist content. For purposes of our services, we will consider terrorist content to be material posted by or in support of organizations included on the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List that depicts graphic violence, encourages violent action, endorses a terrorist organization or its acts, or encourages people to join such groups. The UN Sanctions List includes a list of groups that the UN Security Council considers to be terrorist organizations.
Does that mean I can get a refund?
It seems to include some organizations that are not terrorist per se. OK, maybe we consider every ministry of Iran a terrorist organization but it is abit selfserving. Same with North Korean Atomic autorithy. Sure, they are "bad" but not terrorist organizations. Central Bank of Iraq is in there because it somehow financed terrorism... I bet that some American banks are involved with CIA operations too and they are not listed as terrorism organizations. I guess "Terrorism" is on the eyes of the beholder...
The problem is, "what if those pig fornicating falacio's have a valid point?" By keeping terrorists stupid, those that guide them have more fun. Now seeing microsoftdic is administurd by a H1B zombie carrier, why doesn't these world class guinnasses try showing its neighbors the benefits education? I guess its worked ok so far back home?
So this means all the content you store on MS's services is there completely unencrypted, fully readable to MS themselves and in extension everyone asking nicely enough?
Anyone using their services should really reconsider and look for cloud services that encrypt by default, or encrypt their stuff before uploading it to the cloud storage.
This just gives Microsoft license to do whatever the fuck they want at any time with no recourse. Pretty much like before except now it can be done under the auspices of "fighting terrorism".
Plus it gives them a wide-open excuse to paw through your files and content because, you know, they're just lookin' for terroristic content, who could possibly have a problem with that?
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
I'm not sure why but I have a problem with using services from any company that says its going to delete my files if it it thinks they might be dangerous. I think it goes all the way back to the first time a virus scanner deleted buttons.exe for my safety.
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
Does a recording of a game that turns out that way actually promote the agenda of groups like ISIS? If so, how?
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
Within the the next year although it might already be happening as Microsoft security essentials and windows defender already regularly scan all the files on windows computers and its been built in to the os since windows vista.
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
"Terrorism" is defined by its target, not its content. Right now Al Qaeda is our "friend" in the kabuki against ISIS.
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
I just wonder how long it will be before the bar goes from "terrorist content" to "possibly infringing content", and everything stored/uploaded gets passed through a filter. I'm sure if this continues local scans will happen, (with anyone who opposes it being called "sympathetic to terrorists"), and the local scans will silently be updated to go after signatures from BitTorrents.
Wait until they find out that the only things I do with Windows 10 are to practice flying drones and play a murder simulator. Hang on, I think there's a knock at the door...
For purposes of our services, we will consider terrorist content to be material posted by or in support of organizations included on the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List that depicts graphic violence, encourages violent action, endorses a terrorist organization or its acts, or encourages people to join such groups.
Ah, you mean like the Google Doodle of Yuri Kochiyama who praised Osama Bin Laden in 2003 and encouraged people to join "revolutionary movements"?
Protip: Socialist "revolutionary moments" are started by terrorists and usually involve bombing and calls to violence.
The big deal here is "OneDrive". The other stuff is expected. If you search up OneDrive, you find this description from Microsoft themselves:
"Get to your files and photos from anywhere, on any device. Share and work together with anyone in your work and life."
It is clear that as cloud becomes ubiquitous, it will also become very restrictive. While decentralized computing is pretty resistant to censorship, centralized computing is not. While there are workarounds (such as only transferring and storing encrypted data, as Apple has mused about doing), not only are none of the big players doing this yet, but there's also plenty of envelope information laying around in these sorts of transactions.
Certainly, this policy is unsurprising and common sense- obviously, you shouldn't contribute to those who are doing harmful and illegal things. The slippery slope comes into play rapidly: we've already seen almost every anti-terrorism measure put in place this century rapidly be used at every level of government to justify expansion of powers. Drug dealers are now "terrorists" if it lets a prosecutor have an easier job, etc.
How will Microsoft judge if something is terrorism related? Not immediately, but long term? Certainly, the OneDrive means that in fact you'll need a real drive on your machine, in case something gets accidentally flagged. Certainly for it to be flagged for manual review, it will be able to be searched- that's probably not their policy yet, but there's no reason not to run some daemon on a server to snoop through your stuff at night and flag things, should that be perceived as desirable.
We end up with a situation where if you provide a service, and you could POSSIBLY figure out that the service can be used contrary to the public interest, there is HUGE interest in you doing that. Computers are seen as a panacea here. Giant data centers to real time process as much communication as possible. Computer locks on firearms, which will be made mandatory the moment they exist (one state already has this as a law, but it is conditional on the development of the technology). Regional internet and cellular kill switches which can be accessed easily by law enforcement. It is understood that once you have a self driving car, the police will be able to override it for any purpose remotely. Each of these has a noble purpose, but the underlying message is the same: in the future, no item you own will actually serve your desires and needs should they override the perceived needs of the community, at any time.
Of course the first places to attack will be ones where there is broad consensus over the needs of the community- terrorists are despicable. But from laws to policies of governments and companies, this seems to be a growing area where discussion is simply not happening, and most of the expansion is happening behind the scenes.
Who the hell cares? Either way, Microsoft is perfectly welcome to its editorial judgement in deciding what to distribute, for or against... Unless you're thinking of buying/playing the game, its content is none of your business.
ISIS... please... They and Al Qaeda are your proxies, your Middle East avatars in your war against Russia. You should be happy it's their blood marking your "red line" in the sand and not your kid's...
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
I sure learned the hard way. I was filling out the form for my OneDrive account and when I answered YES to the "Are you a terrorist? question, I got locked out.
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
> Star Wars Battlefront
And the war crime of forcing what are obviously untrained civilians, AKA "Storm Troopers", to run up as human waves to the slaughter, no ability to shoot, and cool looking armor that might as well be tissue paper.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
So, they're going to have to pay business rates for hosting "terrorist" content now.
After all, money and power are all that matters to microsoft.
They'll leave most of the actual terrorists alone, but manage to use this to silence right-wing opinion.
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
John Oliver might say that nothing screams a two-digit IQ quite like beginning a headline with "terrorists no longer welcome"—unless you've actually located a Motel 6 manager who just painted over his "terrorists welcome" pool-side wall mural, and not just to test "wife beaters welcome" to see if it generates more patronage.