PRISM: Microsoft denies giving NSA blanket access to Outlook and Skype

Microsoft has defended claims that detailed deep co-operation with the US government, including the circumvention of encryption in its Outlook.com email and access to its SkyDrive cloud storage service and Skype.
Documents leaked to the Guardian by NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden allege "blanket access" was given to US security services by Microsoft, and that Microsoft worked with agents to "understand" an Outlook feature that allows users to create alias email addresses.
The material seen by the Guardian also claims that the NSA had managed to achieve improved monitoring of Skype, which is owned by Microsoft, tripling the amount of video calls they were able to tap.
Agents were also allegedly given "easier access" to SkyDrive, which currently has more than 250 million users worldwide.
A statement issued by Microsoft denied it had provided blanket access of its products to NSA surveillance teams, and reiterated that it only responds to valid requests. "We have clear principles, which guide the response across our entire company to government demands for customer information for both law enforcement and national security issues," the statement said.
It went on to ask for more transparency over surveillance access, so the firm could detail its side of the story. "There are aspects of this debate that we wish we were able to discuss more freely. That's why we've argued for additional transparency that would help everyone understand and debate these important issues."
These latest revelations match claims made at the start of the PRISM scandal in June, in which it was alleged that tech companies worldwide were giving – voluntarily or otherwise – the NSA "backdoor" access to user data.