Finally, after multiple unanswered emails an update by the #EDPS on the use of #Microsoft 365 by the European Commission. Both Microsoft and the Commission made changes to become more compliant. The processing of data now has a defined purpose and transfer outside the EU (read: #CloudAct ) is reduced and shown to be limited. The details of the measures are not specified. https://www.edps.europa.eu/press-publications/press-news/press-releases/2025/european-commission-brings-use-microsoft-365-compliance-data-protection-rules-eu-institutions-and-bodies_en Also see the letter linked.

There are lots of ethical free open alternatives to Microsoft on the Fediverse:

CLOUDS
@nextcloud

EMAIL SUITE
@thunderbird@mastodon.online & @thunderbird@tilvids.com

MINECRAFT ALTERNATIVE
@Luanti

OFFICE SUITE (OFFLINE)
@libreoffice & @LibreOfficeEs (in Spanish) & @LaMouetteODF (in French)

OFFICE SUITES (ONLINE)
@CollaboraOffice
@CryptPad
@ONLYOFFICE

SOFTWARE FORGES
@Codeberg
@forgejo

VIDEO CALLING & CONFERENCING
@Jami

Remember when the @EDPS found the @EUCommission's use of #Microsoft's #Office365 was in breach of #dataprotection law?

Looks like they've found a way to use that software differently "in cooperation with Microsoft" and the EDPS has now closed the investigation.

https://www.edps.europa.eu/press-publications/press-news/press-releases/2025/european-commission-brings-use-microsoft-365-compliance-data-protection-rules-eu-institutions-and-bodies_en

Since Microsoft is organising a European Sovereign Tech Fund, we should ask Lockheed Martin to put together a European Sovereign Defense Fund. There’s probably also opportunity here to bring Amazon in to advise on EU labour standards and have McDonald’s take the lead on food safety policy in the EU.

CC @EUCommission

#EU#USA#corporateCapture #europeanSovereignTechFund #microsoft #github#openSource#freeSoftware #tech #freedom#humanRights #democracy

Last week, I got an email from Microsoft. It told me I’d be paying 46% more for my Office subscription, starting next month.

But when I tried to cancel, it offered me the same price I was already paying — without the generative AI features I never asked for in the first place.

This isn’t just deceptive; it’s an abuse of market power. I’ve had it with Microsoft.

https://www.disconnect.blog/p/ive-had-it-with-microsoft

#tech #microsoft #office#generativeai #deception #ai

The only way Microsoft should be involved in a European Sovereign Tech Fund is if we fund it by taxing the living shit out of them.

But having them organise and influence it (and who gets funded by it), thereby de facto giving Microsoft EU taxpayer subsidies? Get the fuck out of here.

There are no words to describe how angry this attempt at corporate capture gets me when we’ve been working on sovereign tech in the EU for the past seven years with zero EU funding (not for lack of trying).

Note which people and organisations allow their names to be used to legitimise this effort so you don’t trust a thing they say on this subject in the future.

https://github.blog/open-source/maintainers/we-need-a-european-sovereign-tech-fund/

#EU#FOSS #freedom #tech #funding#EuropeanSovereignTechFund#corporateCapture#openWashing#BigTech #microsoft#GitHub