Microsoft employees have raised alarm over internal censorship, alleging that emails containing words like “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide” are being temporarily blocked from reaching recipients. The protest group No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) claims that dozens of workers have faced these restrictions, especially when sending such emails internally or externally.
The group pointed out that altered terms such as “P4lestine” or “Israel” do not trigger the same blocks, fueling concerns about targeted speech suppression and discrimination against pro-Palestinian voices within the company.
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Microsoft confirmed the existence of measures to curb “politically focused emails,” citing inappropriate mass emailing as the reason. Spokesperson Frank Shaw stated that such emails were sent to tens of thousands of employees and should be limited to those who have opted into political discussions.
The controversy coincides with employee-led protests against Microsoft’s ties with the Israeli government, including a disruption of CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote at the Build conference. One protester, Joe Lopez, was fired after mass emailing staff to condemn the company’s alleged complicity in “Israeli war crimes.”
