Microsoft Scrutinized by EU Privacy Watchdogs for Policy Changes

Microsoft’s policy changes for its Internet products including Hotmail and Bing are being formally examined by European data protection regulators for potential privacy issues. Updates to Microsoft’s services agreement, which took effect Oct. 19, are being formally reviewed, EU privacy regulators wrote to Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer and the head of Microsoft Luxembourg.

Luxembourg’s and France’s data protection commissions are leading the examination, according to the Dec. 17 letter. “Given the wide range of services you offer, and popularity of these services, changes in your Services Agreement and the linked Privacy Policy may affect many individuals in most or all of the EU member states,” wrote Jacob Kohnstamm, who leads the association of EU data protection commissioners. They “decided to check the possible consequences for the protection of the personal data of these individuals in a coordinated procedure.” The review will verify whether the changes could entail new risks for users’ privacy. The examination is also checking whether Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft’s privacy policy meets European standards on notifying users and allowing them a choice of services, Gerard Lommel, head of the Luxembourg privacy regulator, said in an interview in October.