European Commission's use of Microsoft 365 infringes data protection law for EU

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Mandating LibreOffice / Open Formats

  • Some argue EU and government bodies should be legally required to use LibreOffice and OpenDocument formats (ODF) for sovereignty, interoperability, and to avoid US cloud dependence.
  • Others suggest starting with a softer requirement: mandate ODF (and PDF/A for final outputs) rather than specific software.
  • There is a counter‑view that trying to replace Word with LibreOffice is unrealistic; instead, workflows should be redesigned so dependency on Word gradually disappears.

Office Formats, Collaboration, and Workflows

  • Many institutions still rely on emailing .docx files back and forth, causing versioning chaos.
  • Word’s compare/track‑changes features are seen as better than nothing but far from “git‑like” history (no real blame, limited author filtering).
  • Some propose plain text + git (Markdown/LaTeX) for serious collaborative authoring; others say non‑technical staff cannot handle this and that such pilots have failed in practice.
  • SharePoint’s capabilities are disputed: some report lacking true concurrent editing and useful change tracking; others say real‑time coauthoring and versioning work well when correctly configured.

Quality and Viability of Open‑Source Office Suites

  • LibreOffice is described as actively developed and reasonably compatible with MS formats, especially compared to OpenOffice.
  • Critiques: UI and productivity on Windows/macOS lag behind Office; coauthoring and integrated workflows are weaker.
  • Alternative suites (OnlyOffice, Collabora) are mentioned; some like the interface, others report bugs or “shady”/closed components.
  • Several commenters stress that tools alone are not enough; training, habits, and institutional processes are the real barrier.

Cloud Dependence, US Law, and EU Data Protection

  • Even if Microsoft stores EU data in EU datacenters, commenters argue US laws like the CLOUD Act and FISA §702 still allow secret access, conflicting with EU rules.
  • Others note Microsoft’s “EU Data Boundary” efforts and a US executive order, but the EDPS decision is cited as evidence this is insufficient.
  • Some highlight hidden data flows (logs, backups, CDNs) as potential channels for non‑EU transfers.

Microsoft Dominance, Regulation, and Politics

  • Microsoft is seen as having no strong competitor for a tightly integrated, collaborative office/cloud stack; Google Workspace is considered the only close rival and also problematic for EU privacy.
  • Lobbying and procurement structures are viewed as reinforcing lock‑in (“nobody gets fired for choosing Microsoft”).
  • Historical attempts to move public bodies to open alternatives (e.g., a large German city’s Linux desktop project) are cited as having been undermined by shifting rules and funding cuts, feeding cynicism about both corporate influence and governmental sincerity.