Microsoft today sued the US Department of Justice. considering that it is unconstitutional for the government to ban technology companies inform customers when their data have been revised.
Microsoft says in its application that has received 5,624 requests for information by the Government in the last 18 months and in almost half the cases, a total of 2,576, the company failed to inform customers that federal agents were inspecting their data.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Seattle (US west coast), where Microsoft is based, promises to unleash another confrontation between a high-technology company and the Government and comes shortly after the fight Apple with the FBI for access to a phone iPhone.
"This morning we filed a lawsuit in federal court against the US government to defend that we feel are fundamental constitutional rights of our clients, rights that protect privacy and promote freedom of expression," said Brad Smith, senior adviser legal of Microsoft, on the official company blog.
The company believes that "few exceptions", customers and businesses have the right to know when the government access their e-mails or other data.
"Nevertheless, it is becoming routine for the US government to issue orders requiring the email service providers maintain such lawsuits in secret," said Smith.
The company believes that the situation "has gone too far", so he said he has decided to resort to the courts to assess the situation.
"These secret orders violate the Fourth Amendment (of the US Constitution), which gives individuals and businesses the right to know whether the Government investigates their properties," said lead counsel for Microsoft.
He added that the behavior of the government also violates the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees, as recalled by Microsoft, the right of the company to inform customers if the government's actions affect your data.
The technology firm said that this lawsuit provides "an opportunity" to the Department of Justice to adopt new rules that establish "reasonable limits" on the use of secret orders.
"Filing a lawsuit against a government is not a decision we take lightly. Only we do when we believe that fundamental principles are at stake and important practical implications, "said Smith.