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One woman’s voice was heard by billions; a Moroccan engineer that worked for Microsoft sacrificed a position that millions wish for just to be heard. Ibtihal Aboussad, a young woman who graduated from Harvard University, called out Microsoft’s AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman at Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event. “You claim that you care for using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Mustafa, you are a Syrian who profits from war. You are a war profiteer. Stop using AI for genocide. You have blood on your hands. All of Microsoft has blood on its hands.” Aboussad’s words cost her the position she held at Microsoft; however, that didn’t stop her. Delve into our article to know all about the boycotting movement that Ibtihal created and learn all about her support for humanity.
The Birth of a Movement: Boycotting Microsoft for the Greater Good
Ibtihal took to social media to post a video that contained two messages for all the people who watched her video of calling out the actions of Microsoft and how they support Israel’s military through AI tools. The video she posted was one in which she expressed her gratitude for all the people who sent her support messages and urged them to simply do two things. The first thing is to boycott all Microsoft-related products. The second demand was directed to people who work like her in a place that supports an inhumane principle of funding militaries that commit genocides and raise wars on innocent lives, including children and babies.
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Why Microsoft? The Tech Giant’s Role in Israeli Oppression
Microsoft, one of the world’s most dominant tech corporations, is far from neutral in the genocide being committed against Palestinians. The company has a $1.5 billion cloud computing deal with the Israeli government (signed in 2021). Moreover, they are providing infrastructure that could be used for surveillance and military operations that are worth billions. Additionally, they are literally funding and creating an authorization of ending lives.
Aboussad’s campaign has gained momentum across the Middle East and pro-Palestinian communities worldwide. It successfully urged many individuals and businesses to cut off the usage of Microsoft’s systems and products like Copilot, Xbox, and Candy Crush. The movement has drawn comparisons to the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign, which successfully caused companies like Adidas, Starbucks, and McDonald’s to lose some stock prices because of their ties to Israel and their support of war crimes.
The Result of Ibtihal Being Brave Enough to Raise Her Voice
As a result of her bravery, two main things have happened: The first is that Ibtihal got offered a new opportunity by Kuwaiti businessman Abdullah Al-Dabbous. This means that speaking the truth and standing for justice is crucial and will come out fruitful and cause people to support you. That is, despite many saying that nothing is worth getting fired from Microsoft. The second thing is that Ibtihal encouraged another woman to simply walk in her footsteps.
At the same 50th anniversary celebration, another “disruption” to the evening happened when Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American Microsoft engineer, spoke up and called out Satya Nadella, Ballmer, and Gates while they were onstage for their Israeli support. She bravely called them hypocrites who have the blood of more than fifty thousand dead Palestinians on their hands for their incorporation and investments that they have with the IDF. Vaniya didn’t even wait to be fired; she resigned through a mass-sent email that urged her co-workers to do the same because she herself could not work anymore for a company that enabled a genocide.
What’s Under Microsoft’s Umbrella?
Here is a list of other companies that are owned by Microsoft for your knowledge:
- Microsoft
- Office
- Edge
- OneDrive
- Outlook
- Teams
- Azure
- Surface
- SharePoint
- Dynamics
- Microsoft Entra
- Microsoft Purview
- Microsoft Defender
- Word
- Excel
- OneNote
- PowerPoint
- Copilot
Gaming & Entertainment (Owned by Microsoft)
- Xbox
- Minecraft
- The Elder Scrolls
- Halo
- Candy Crush
- Forza
- Gears
- ZeniMax
- Crash
- Spyro
To Wrap Things Up!
Ibtihal Aboussad’s movement underscores the power of individual conviction in challenging corporate practices. She was criticized, fired, and judged harshly for speaking the truth and standing up for innocent lives. However, calling for a global boycott of Microsoft sheds a light on the moral responsibilities of tech companies and the potential consequences of their collaborations. As this movement gains such widespread momentum, it urges a critical examination of how technology intersects with human rights. Additionally, it highlights the role of corporations in upholding ethical standards.
