Microsoft commits to extending GDPR worldwide

Microsoft announced its intention to extend the rights granted by the Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation to all their users worldwide. This includes the right to know what data the company collects on its users and the ability to correct or delete that data, as well as to take it to another service provider.  Julie Brill, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel for Privacy and Regulatory Affairs at Microsoft, said ‘At Microsoft, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right. … Privacy is also the foundation for trust. We know that people will only use technology that they trust. Ultimately, trust is created when people are confident that their personal data is safe and they have a clear understanding of how and why it is used. This means companies like ours have a huge responsibility to safeguard the privacy of the personal data collected and the data managed for commercial customers.’ At the Microsoft website there is a dedicated page providing information on compliance, how its products help users comply with the GDPR, as well as resources such are webinars, videos, white papers, and FAQ about the regulation itself. As the media notes despite Microsoft’s extension of the privacy rules, there is not a law to enforce it globally, therefore no one outside the European Union will be able to file an official complaint based on DGPR, not will Microsoft be required to pay fines for not following the law outside the EU.