New safety conscious Microsoft meets old regulatory problems

EU data protection watchdogs are to take a further look at Microsoft's .Net strategy to see if it threatens the privacy of European citizens.

Jonathan Bamford, assistant commissioner at the UK Data Protection Commission (DPC), told silicon.com that a preliminary look into the area of online authentication and single-sign-on systems had persuaded them a deeper study was warranted.

The decision was made yesterday at a monthly meeting of all of the EU's 15 individual data protection commissions. A sub group has been told to determine over the summer what data protection issues the .Net system provokes.

Bamford was anxious to make it clear he was not singling Microsoft out for special attention. He said: "Microsoft is the leader in this area so it's inevitable our investigation will focus on them."

However, he said alternative systems - such as those being developed by the Liberty Alliance - will also be looked at.

Bamford said data protection agencies are concerned to find out whether users of the new systems would be given the information to provide informed consent for use of their data.

He added the DPC is also worried about the sheer amount of information being collected, and whether it is more than that required to provide .Net services.

Microsoft has signed up to the Safe Harbour agreement, which binds it to act in accordance with strict EU data laws.

In a statement Microsoft said it believes its software complies with data laws. It also said it has "a long history of working with the National Data Protection Authorities in the EU member states and [is] always eager to hear and address their concerns."

In addition the news yesterday that it has appointed one of the foremost privacy activists in the UK, Caspar Bowden, to help develop policy, signals the firm is taking the issue seriously.