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Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

(www.theguardian.com)
873 points helsinkiandrew | 15 comments | 25 Sep 25 15:06 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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politelemon ◴[25 Sep 25 16:11 UTC] No.45374648[source]▶
I am seeing several kneejerk "Microsoft bad" reactions here, which HNers don't do for many other companies. I encourage many of you to read what is written.

They listened to their internal staff and stakeholders and public pressure, and did terminated the contract instead of ignoring it or doubling down.

That is a good thing.

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n1b0m ◴[25 Sep 25 16:21 UTC] No.45374815[source]▶
They fired staff who protested against the firm’s ties to the IDF.
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sugarpimpdorsey ◴[25 Sep 25 16:28 UTC] No.45374921[source]▶
That's a funny way to say "they fired staff that vandalized company property, broke into the CEO's office, and used an internal company website to publish and promote anti-company propaganda".

That will get you fired from bussing tables or washing dishes, let alone a six-figure job at MS.

Edit: Source on the last one; the first two were widely reported on in media:

https://lunduke.substack.com/p/fired-microsoft-employee-enco...

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nashashmi ◴[25 Sep 25 16:30 UTC] No.45374950[source]▶
One protestor was fired after interrupting a CEO's speech.
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1. duxup ◴[25 Sep 25 17:18 UTC] No.45375803[source]▶
I feel like interrupting a CEO's speech at a big conference is pretty well understood to be a social indicator of a high level of insubordination. I suspect the protestor knew that too.

The consequences were appropriate, even if I might share some of the protestor's concerns.

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2. snickerdoodle14 ◴[25 Sep 25 17:34 UTC] No.45376072[source]▶
> insubordination

Are we talking about the military or some company?

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3. duxup ◴[25 Sep 25 17:41 UTC] No.45376173[source]▶
I think that term can be / is used for individuals at companies.
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4. gmueckl ◴[25 Sep 25 18:06 UTC] No.45376547[source]▶
US corporate culture has a stronger sense of hierarchy than many other countries. It is an environment where one can get fired quickly and suddenly and that instills a lot of obedience and discipline (if not outright fear) in employees.
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5. fluoridation ◴[25 Sep 25 18:13 UTC] No.45376657[source]▶
LOL. The military isn't the only organization with a hierarchy.
6. rkachowski ◴[25 Sep 25 18:33 UTC] No.45376947[source]▶
You feel that being fired is an appropriate consequence to interrupting a CEO?
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7. duxup ◴[25 Sep 25 18:36 UTC] No.45376972{3}[source]▶
I don't even think you need a strong sense of hierarchy. The meaning of the word would apply anywhere.
8. duxup ◴[25 Sep 25 18:37 UTC] No.45376993[source]▶
When doing a presentation at a big conference, yes.

If it was an open discussion in a meeting with 5 people, no.

9. sugarpimpdorsey ◴[25 Sep 25 18:39 UTC] No.45377022[source]▶
Interrupting a speech? Yes. It demonstrates a lack of maturity, decorum, and is completely unprofessional. Someone who pulls these shenanigans is unworthy of the role they were hired for. This isn't high school anymore. They were hired to perform productive work not be disruptive and play pretend activist.
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10. ecshafer ◴[25 Sep 25 18:42 UTC] No.45377062[source]▶
You are trivializing what they did. This is not that they were in a meeting with the CEO and accidentally spoke interrupting him. They started yelling disrupting the CEOs speech at a large event. Name a single company that wouldn't fire someone for that.
11. ◴[25 Sep 25 18:51 UTC] No.45377186{3}[source]▶
12. 34679 ◴[25 Sep 25 18:54 UTC] No.45377226{3}[source]▶
You lost me at "pretend activist". This person put their job on the line for what they believe in, and in a public enough way that complete strangers are discussing it on the internet. That's real activism.
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13. sugarpimpdorsey ◴[25 Sep 25 18:57 UTC] No.45377263{4}[source]▶
If they don't like it, they don't have to work there.

All these people hate on their employer and customers whilst simultaneously drawing a salary.

If they put their money where their mouth is, they can all quit en masse and let the company deal with customers without employees to support.

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14. nashashmi ◴[25 Sep 25 19:48 UTC] No.45378023{5}[source]▶
If they don't like it, they can voice what they don't like. And that is what happened here.
15. Dylan16807 ◴[25 Sep 25 19:56 UTC] No.45378129{5}[source]▶
In general, continuing to get paid while being disruptive and forcing them to fire you is more activist than quitting.