Security is important. Microsoft (MSFT) appears to have learned it the hard way several years ago and has not put a foot wrong since. In an interview with the Washington Post, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella welcomed the scrutiny currently being faced by technology firms.
Microsoft seems to be in a better position in terms of security compared to several of its peers right now. With the data privacy scandal and the recent security breach of another 50 million accounts, Facebook (FB) is struggling to wipe off the many eggs that landed on its face.
Alphabet’s (GOOGL) subsidiary Google has been under the spotlight for quite some time over claims of location tracking and collection of user data along with criticisms that its search results are muffling conservative voices. The latest exposure of Google + user accounts and the company’s silence over the matter has worsened its position.
Twitter (TWTR) also faced a lot of flak over its failure to control the toxic content on its platform as well as the alleged meddling with the election process through fake accounts. Apple (AAPL) has locked horns with the government earlier over the security features of its iPhone, which it upgraded recently to make it tougher to unlock.
Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates had earlier said that technology firms were likely to invite government interventions through their reluctance to cooperate with government agencies
Amazon (AMZN) meanwhile has faced multiple criticisms over various issues from both President Trump and other parties. So at present, Microsoft is the only one sitting pretty, but this was not always the case.
During the time Bill Gates’ leadership, the tech behemoth faced cyber attacks which affected several of its government customers and since then made security as its number one priority while designing its products and services. Over a month ago, Microsoft thwarted a hacking attempt by a Russian group and also launched a new security product for customers in the political and government space.
Earlier this year at a separate event, Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates said that technology firms were likely to invite government interventions through their reluctance to cooperate with government agencies.