3 ms·
"Favor" is the wrong word, but only because that implies a lack of payment. Quoting from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18411779 https://news.ycombinator.
by cbkeller 6y ago
"Favor" is the wrong word, but only because that implies a lack of payment. Quoting from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18411779 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18411779 :
> 2009 - NSA offering 'billions' for Skype eavesdrop solution [1]
> 2011 - Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion. Why, exactly? [2]
> 2012 - Skype replaces P2P supernodes with Linux boxes hosted by Microsoft [3]
> 2013 - Microsoft handed the NSA access to encrypted messages Subhead: Skype worked to enable Prism collection of video calls [4]
> 1. https://www.theregister.com/2009/02/12/nsa_offers_billions_for_skype_pwnage/ https://www.theregister.com/2009/02/12/nsa_offers_billions_f...
> 2. https://www.wired.com/2011/05/microsoft-buys-skype-2/ https://www.wired.com/2011/05/microsoft-buys-skype-2/
> 3. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/skype-replaces-p2p-supernodes-with-linux-boxes-hosted-by-microsoft/ https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/skype...
> 4. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-...
- lawnchair_larry 6y agoNone of that supports the claim that Microsoft bought skype as a favor to the US government. It’s mostly a bunch of silly conjecture. Removal of supernodes does make it easier to intercept, sure, but that doesn’t mean it was the motivation for that change, and it definitely doesn’t mean it was tied to requests by a government. Now that they have the capability, they would have to comply with court orders, like every other communications company based in the US.