Microsoft accuses FTC of leaking news about antitrust investigation

Microsoft is asking the Federal Trade Commission’s inspector general to investigate whether agency executives improperly leaked news of an antitrust investigation into the company and to make its findings public.

bloomberg first reported An investigation was underway last week. The Verge It was later confirmed. The investigation covers Microsoft’s cloud and software licensing businesses, AI, and cybersecurity products.

Now, Microsoft’s corporate vice president and deputy general counsel Rima Aleily is accusing FTC executives of leaking details of the investigation, a violation of the agency’s rules. Unique ethical guidelines. The agency instructs new employees that “the existence of an FTC investigation is confidential information,” but the information will be made public after the public information office has determined the targets of the investigation, which have already been made public in press releases and government filings. There is a possibility that Still, the guidelines add that the Commission has the power to make “appropriate disclosures” if it “determines that it is in the public interest to make such disclosures.”

Araily writes: bloomberg The story “strongly suggests” that the details come from “within the FTC.” She said the story “seems to be consistent with an unfortunate trend over the past two years in which the FTC has been strategically leaking non-public information.” September report From the FTC IG, which found that the amount of “unauthorized disclosures” of non-public information to news organizations was “steadily increasing.” The FTC declined to comment on Microsoft’s letter.

Microsoft claims it learned about the FTC’s information request “through a Bloomberg article, as did the rest of the world.” Even when he contacted FTC staff about the validity of this story, they did not confirm that a demand for information existed, Ariely said, adding that Microsoft has not yet seen a demand for information reported by news outlets. .

The letter is the latest example of a more aggressive approach Microsoft has taken in recent months regarding antitrust scrutiny of its business. In October, Aleilly sued Google. blog post He said he created AstroTurf Group “to undermine Microsoft’s credibility with competition authorities and policymakers and to mislead the public.”

Microsoft has largely been a low-profile target of antitrust lawsuits in recent years, while big tech companies have been hit with complaints from U.S. regulators. But the company is facing increasing scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe due to significant cybersecurity issues, its acquisition of game studio Activision Blizzard, and its partnership with OpenAI. Still, the fate of the existing investigation will ultimately depend on how incoming Trump administration officials view the issue.