Microsoft Faces Broad U.S. Antitrust Probe

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a wide-ranging antitrust investigation into Microsoft, focusing on its software licensing and cloud computing businesses, Jody Godoy and Chris Sanders reported for Reuters.

Microsoft faces allegations of abusing its market power in productivity software by imposing restrictive licensing terms that hinder customers from transferring data from its Azure cloud service to competing platforms. I Image: Microsoft Developer

The probe was approved by FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan as she prepares to step down in January. With President-elect Donald Trump set to appoint a more business-friendly successor, the investigation’s outcome remains uncertain.

Microsoft faces allegations of abusing its market power in productivity software by imposing restrictive licensing terms that hinder customers from transferring data from its Azure cloud service to competing platforms.

The FTC is also examining Microsoft’s cybersecurity practices and integration of AI tools into products like Office and Outlook.

Critics, including the lobbying group NetChoice, have accused Microsoft of locking customers into its Azure ecosystem and disadvantaging competitors like Amazon and Google in the cloud computing sector. Complaints about Microsoft's cloud policies have been under review since last year as part of a broader examination of the industry.