Congress gives police in other countries easier access to U.S. data, raising privacy concerns

Police in other countries will be able to get emails and other electronic communication more easily from their own citizens and from Americans under a bill that Congress stuffed inside the massive $1.3 trillion spending deal passed this week. Supporters say the bill, dubbed the CLOUD Act, will simplify the process for the U.S. government and its allies to get evidence of serious crimes and terrorist threats when that evidence is stored on a server in another country.

Microsoft’s epic court battle with DOJ is coming to an end

Microsoft fought a court battle with the Department of Justice all the way to the Supreme Court - but the saga could soon be coming to an end. The Cloud Act, which is tucked into the spending bill that Trump signed Friday, addresses the question at the heart of the issue: Can law enforcement officials force US companies to hand over data that's stored on servers in foreign countries? The Cloud Act establishes a legal pathway for the US to form agreements with other nations that make it easier for law enforcement to collect data stored on foreign soil.

Christopher Liddell, ex-Microsoft and GM executive, is strong…

Christopher Liddell, ex-Microsoft and GM executive, is strong candidate to become Trump's new economic guru Christopher Liddell, an ex-Microsoft and General Motors executive, is currently the White House's director of strategic initiatives. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2GiTFL2 Christopher Liddell is under strong consideration to become President Trump's next economic adviser, replacing Gary Cohn, who announced his resignation last week.

US Supreme Court wrestles with Microsoft privacy fight

WASHINGTON: Supreme Court justices on Tuesday appeared unsure how to resolve a dispute between Microsoft Corp and the Justice Department over whether U.S. law should allow prosecutors to compel technology companies to hand over data stored overseas. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, both conservatives, hinted at support for the Justice Department during the one-hour argument as the nine-member court wrestled with the technological complexities of email data storage.

Up Periscope: U.S. Navy to use Xbox game controller on submarines

Up Periscope: U.S. Navy to use Xbox game controller on submarines The U.S. Navy plans to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard its newer submarines. Check out this story on pal-item.com: https://usat.ly/2xf14X7 Microsoft has finally unveiled its new console - officially named the Xbox One X. It will be launched worldwide on November 7th and cost $499.

Melinda Gates decries a loss of U.S. leadershipa in global aid

Melinda Gates and her husband, Bill, the Microsoft co-founder, pause before being honored for their philanthropic work in France this April. SEATTLE - Melinda Gates is calling on world leaders to step up global aid funding, saying "a loss of U.S. leadership" is resulting in "confusion and chaos" in some of the most vulnerable corners of the planet.

Trump’s expected repeal of Dreamer program draws fire from business

A federal judge in Texas on Thursday struck down an Obama administration rule that would have extended mandatory overtime pay to more than 4 million U.S. workers, siding with business groups and 21... People march and chant slogans against President Donald Trump's proposed end of the DACA program that protects immigrant children from deportation at ... (more)

Microsoft’s CEO is again standing up to Trump on immigration

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took to LinkedIn on Thursday to stand up for the DREAMers - undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children. With President Trump reportedly considering ending an Obama-era program that protected such immigrants from deportation, Nadella defended "smart immigration" policies, saying they can "help our economic growth and global competitiveness."

CEOs exit tech board ater Trump’s Charlottesville remarks

San Francisco, Aug 19 - Following a series of comments US President Donald Trump made over the violence in Charlottesville, tech leaders have resigned en masse from the President's tech advisory board as a mark of protest. According to a report in Politico on Friday, more than half of the members of the 15-person Digital Economy Board of Advisors have quit.

Steve Ballmer’s new gov’t data project assumes that facts change minds

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has a lot of money and nothing to prove. Post-Microsoft, his biggest achievement so far has been paying $2 billion to buy the LA Clippers , but on Monday The New York Times dropped an extensive report about his next venture: a project called " USAFacts ," which aggregates publicly available government data to tell you how your city, state, and federal tax dollars are spent.