Dublin-based tech giant awaits US court ruling

A US appeals court will today hear arguments in a case that would allow federal agents to “break down the door” of Microsoft’s Dublin facility with a simple search warrant.

US law enforcement, pursuing a drug case and using a warrant, wants the tech giant to hand over data stored in Ireland, bypassing an international treaty between the countries.

Lower courts have ruled in favour of allowing the US access emails and other data, a move Microsoft described as “allowing federal agents to break down the door” of its building in Ireland. The company argued the data was covered by Irish and European privacy laws.