Photo Credit: Tyler Lahti (this photo has been adapted). 

The Palestinian Digital Rights Coalition and undersigned allies strongly condemn Microsoft's recent treatment of Palestinian customers. The company’s recent actions of blocking Palestinian users’ email and Skype accounts, an unjust disruption that has severe consequences on their daily lives during a time of war, is not only an affront to basic human decency but also a violation of their fundamental rights. Access to technology and communication is crucial, especially in conflict zones where information and connectivity can mean the difference between life and death. Furthermore, Microsoft accounts provide access to communication platforms, bank accounts, and job opportunities. By blocking its services, Microsoft is effectively cutting Palestinians off from social, professional, and financial opportunities during a time of immense suffering and devastation. Microsoft's decision to restrict its services to Palestinians at such a critical juncture is deeply troubling and cannot be justified.

This discriminatory action comes at a time when the Palestinian people in Gaza are suffering from Israel’s 9-month-long and ongoing aggression that has claimed the lives of at least 38,000 Palestinians, destroyed over 70,000 homes, and forcibly displaced over 1.9 million people. Just last week, UN experts declared that due to Israel’s intentional and targeted starvation campaign against Palestinians, famine had spread across the entire Gaza Strip. In January 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that there is a plausible genocide ongoing in Gaza, and it is in these conditions that Microsoft has decided to discriminatorily block Palestinian users from its services.

Microsoft’s action further compounds digital rights violations in the context of the frequent telecommunications blackouts in Gaza, deliberately imposed by Israeli authorities through their control of Gaza’s telecommunications infrastructure, targeted attacks on telecommunication towers and companies, cutting off fuel supplies, and disrupting electricity. These blackouts exacerbate the already dire situation by severing the few remaining lifelines for communication and access to essential services, leaving them more isolated.

Such actions by Microsoft undermine the principles of fairness and equity that the company claims to uphold. By denying Palestinians access to essential communication services, Microsoft is effectively contributing to the isolation and marginalization of an already besieged people. This move not only hampers their ability to communicate with loved ones but also limits their access to vital information, resources, and support systems. In a digital age where connectivity is synonymous with empowerment, Microsoft's actions serve to further disempower and disenfranchise the Palestinian people. Moreover, Microsoft's decision sets a dangerous precedent for the role of technology companies in conflict situations. It raises serious ethical and moral questions about the responsibilities of such corporations towards ensuring that their services are accessible to all, regardless of geographic or political circumstances.

The tech sector, in general, has been complicit in discriminatory and racist policies against Palestinians for decades, but this has reached an unprecedented scale since the onset of the war on Gaza. Online platforms have been enforcing discriminatory content moderation policies, unfairly silencing Palestinian voices while allowing hate speech and incitement against them to proliferate. This complicity not only facilitates the spread of harmful and dehumanizing rhetoric but also marginalizes Palestinian narratives, exacerbating their isolation and suffering.

In light of these considerations, it is imperative that Microsoft immediately reverses its decision to block services to Palestinians. The company must recognize the profound impact of its actions and take steps to ensure that its technologies remain accessible to all individuals, especially those in conflict-affected areas who rely on these services for their safety and well-being. Microsoft has the power and the responsibility to promote inclusivity and support humanitarian efforts. The company must align its actions with internationally recognized business and human rights principles. According to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Microsoft must avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts and address such impacts when they occur. The company must take proactive steps to mitigate any potential human and digital rights violations linked to its operations.

Signatories:

The Palestinian Digital Rights Coalition (PDRC)

Agencia Ecologista de Información TEGANTAI, Ecuador

ALQST For Human Rights, Saudi Arabia

SMEX

INSM, USA

INSM, Iraq

JCA-NET, Japan

Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression

Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine

Makan

ActionAid International

LaLibre.net Tecnologias Comunitarias

Masaar, Egypt

Sursiendo, Comunicación y Cultura Digital

MPower Change

Muslim Counterpublics Lab