Microsoft accused of leaking data of Dutch civil servants working on tech laws to US government
The technology giant Microsoft has been accused of leaking the data of civil servants working for the Netherlands' regulatory agencies to the US House of Representatives.
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The technology giant Microsoft has been accused of leaking the data of civil servants working for the Netherlands' regulatory agencies to the US House of Representatives.
- Microsoft reportedly leaked Dutch civil servants’ data to the US House of Representatives, local media reports.
- The data leaked includes emails, minutes, and invitations.
- The employees affected by the leak work for regulatory agencies that implement the EU digital regulations.
The civil servants affected by the leak work at the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP), according to the NL Times.
They are involved in implementing the Digital Services Act (DSA), the European Union regulation on online services, aimed at combating illegal content and protecting user rights.
NL Times reports that Microsoft shared emails, minutes, and invitations sent by the civil servants without redacting their names in the documents.
Willemijn Aerdts, Dutch State Secretary for Digital Economy and Sovereignty, said she discussed the allegations with US Ambassador to the Netherlands Joe Popolo.
Major US companies, including X, Meta, Google, and Amazon, have previously received hefty fines under the DSA, which the US government has repeatedly accused of censoring free speech.
In 2025, the US issued visa bans for five Europeans involved in creating the EU’s digital laws, including the DSA, citing “coercion of American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose.”
The allegations against Microsoft further strengthen concerns over Europe’s dependence on American technologies, which poses major risks to data privacy.
The US Cloud, for example, compels American companies to hand over data requested by US law enforcement regardless of where it is stored.
The concerns prompted numerous European countries, including France, Germany, and Switzerland, to replace Microsoft software with local open source alternatives.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has attracted criticism for acting on behalf of the US government.
After the US imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan in 2025, Microsoft reportedly blocked his email.
While the company denied the allegations, the ICC moved from Microsoft to a European alternative, openDesk.
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