Microsoft is going to let governments look at its source code in a special office to prove spies can't use it
Microsoft posted on its blog that it's launching the special office to support a "high level of openness and cooperation" with European governments, who are deeeply suspicious of the online surveillance conducted by the US's NSA.
Essentially, Microsoft is so confident that there aren't any backdoors in its products that could allow the NSA to access personal data, that it's letting governments take a look through its valuable source code.
The new office, named the "Transparency Center: Brussels," is purpose-built to allow government investigators to comb through lines of code. It already has one transparency center in Washington, but this is the first of its kind to be opened in Europe.
Microsoft says that the office is a "controlled and secure" environment. IT World reports that governments can use special analysis tools to look through the source code for Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Microsoft Office, Windows Server Lync, SharePoint 2010 and versions of Windows Embedded.
Apple did something similar in China when it allowed the government to inspect its products in search of NSA backdoors, amid fears that Apple products could be used by the US government to spy on Chinese citizens. CEO Tim Cook reportedly agreed in December 2014 that Apple would comply with Chinese "security audits"