Media reports Microsoft accused of silencing free speech

(MENAFN) Microsoft is under scrutiny after reports emerged that its internal email system is blocking messages containing terms like “Gaza,” “Palestine,” and “Genocide,” according to The Verge. The alleged restrictions have sparked accusations of censorship and discrimination, especially amid growing criticism of Microsoft’s partnerships with Israel.

The claims were raised by No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA), a protest group made up of current and former Microsoft employees. The group says that “dozens” of staff have been unable to send emails—both internally and externally—if those terms appear in the subject or message body. Words such as “Israel” or altered spellings like “P4lestine” reportedly bypass the filters.

“This is a deliberate attempt to suppress employee free speech,” said NOAA organizer Hossam Nasr, who accused Microsoft leadership of targeting Palestinian voices and their allies.

Microsoft acknowledged making changes to its email system but said the goal was to reduce political messages in the workplace. A company spokesperson explained that broad internal communications about non-work topics should be shared through opt-in platforms rather than mass emails.

The controversy unfolds as Microsoft faces growing protests over its AI and cloud computing contracts with the Israeli government—projects that reports claim may support military actions in Gaza. Although Microsoft admitted to working with Israel, the company insisted in a May 16 statement that it has found “no evidence” its tools have directly caused harm, though it also conceded it cannot fully monitor how its software is used on private systems.

Employee dissent has become increasingly visible. At the recent Microsoft Build developer conference, worker Joe Lopez interrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote, accusing the company of complicity in war crimes. Lopez was subsequently fired after sending a mass email to thousands of employees urging action.

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