Activists urge Skype: Tell us who is spying on us

Microsoft mum on privacy, security policies

By Neil McAllister in San Francisco • Get more from this author

Posted in Security, 25th January 2013 02:11 GMT

A coalition of activists, privacy organizations, journalists, and others have called upon Microsoft to be more forthright about when, why, and to whom it discloses information about Skype users and their communications.

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Among the group's concerns is that although Skype was founded in Europe, its acquisition by a US-based company – Microsoft – may mean it is now subject to different eavesdropping and data-disclosure requirements than it was before.

The group claims that both Microsoft and Skype have refused to answer questions about what kinds of user data the service retains, whether it discloses such data to governments, and whether Skype conversations can be intercepted.

The letter calls upon Microsoft to publish a regular Transparency Report outlining what kind of data Skype collects, what third parties might be able to intercept or retain, and how Skype interprets its responsibilities under the laws that pertain to it. In addition it asks for quantitative data about when, why, and how Skype shares data with third parties, including governments.

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