Microsoft
Flagged · AvoidThe world's largest software company, with a long history of anticompetitive behavior and recurring security failures.
Last updated August 13, 2026
Reasons to avoid
Issues span:EnvironmentPrivacyAntitrustConsumer
- Microsoft cut its carbon removal credit purchases by roughly 80% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to BloombergNEF calculations, as it redirected spending toward artificial intelligence infrastructure. The pullback marks Microsoft's first retreat from the carbon removal market since 2023, a market it entered in 2020.
- Microsoft's Windows Recall feature takes a screenshot of everything on your screen every few seconds and stores it in a searchable database. Security researchers built a tool that could extract the entire database in minutes. Microsoft pulled the feature in 2024 after public backlash, re-released it in 2025, and security flaws have continued to surface.
- The FTC launched a sweeping antitrust investigation into Microsoft in late 2024, examining how it bundles Office, cloud, and cybersecurity products to lock competitors out of federal contracts — a pattern federal prosecutors say echoes the monopoly case that nearly broke the company up in the 1990s.
- Open-source developers filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that GitHub Copilot — Microsoft's AI coding assistant — was trained on billions of lines of their code without complying with open-source license requirements. Estimated DMCA damages could exceed $9 billion.
Brands owned by Microsoft
- GitHub
- Activision Blizzard
- Xbox
- Minecraft
- Skype
- Bethesda
- Nuance Communications
- SwiftKey
Source: news.microsoft.com (as of 2026-08-11)
Ethical alternatives
Office & Productivity
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Messaging & Collaboration
Signal
End-to-end encrypted messaging for personal use. No ads, no tracking, open-source.
📊 Data Privacy💻 Open Source📚 Free Resource
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Element
An open-source team chat built on the decentralized Matrix protocol — a privacy-respecting alternative to Microsoft Teams.
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Operating System
Linux Mint
The most Windows-like Linux distribution — the easiest switch for everyday users who want to leave Windows behind.
💻 Open Source📚 Free Resource
Visit →Common Questions
- Is Microsoft ethical?
- The FTC launched a sweeping antitrust investigation into Microsoft in late 2024 for bundling Office, cloud, and cybersecurity products to lock competitors out of federal contracts. Microsoft's Windows Recall feature takes a screenshot of everything on your screen every few seconds — security researchers built a tool to extract the entire database in minutes, and Microsoft has continued to push the feature despite ongoing security concerns.
- Why should I avoid Microsoft?
- Open-source developers filed a class action alleging GitHub Copilot was trained on their code without complying with open-source license requirements, with estimated DMCA damages potentially exceeding $9 billion. Microsoft's pattern of bundling products to exclude competitors echoes the monopoly case that nearly broke the company up in the 1990s.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Microsoft?
- LibreOffice is a free, full-featured open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. Firefox and Brave are privacy-focused browser alternatives to Edge. ProtonMail provides encrypted email that replaces Outlook, and Signal replaces Teams for secure messaging.
- What brands does Microsoft own?
- Microsoft owns LinkedIn, GitHub, and the video game publisher Activision Blizzard, home to Call of Duty and Candy Crush. It also owns Minecraft maker Mojang and Xbox.