I understand your outrage but silence is not consent. It is fear. Apply that phrase to any other situation where consent is required and that would be considered victim blaming.

Now M$ COULD be fine with this, we truly don’t know, but they could also be afraid of how the administration would retaliate against them if they spoke up. I do agree with you when you say these companies are cowardly.

I picture the phone doing it the way it was done in The Dark Knight. That scene when Lucius Fox was in China and had to volunteer a phone to security.