Why Some Countries Have Banned Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is used in homes, workplaces, and schools worldwide. However, some European nations are increasingly beginning to outlaw it from their political structures. Why? They desire greater authority over their own information.

Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft software will no longer be used for government work in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. This indicates that in the coming months, over 30,000 employees—including judges and police officers—will move to open-source programs like LibreOffice (instead of Word) and Open-Xchange (instead of Outlook).

The German government’s need to keep its data secure and domestically stored is the primary driver behind this. The state’s digital minister, Dirk Schroedter, told AFP, “We’re done with Teams.” He continued by saying that the conflict in Ukraine had forced nations to see the necessity for greater technological and energy independence.

Germany’s choice was motivated by worries about data security.

The primary motivation for the German government’s decision is its wish to preserve its data locally and safely.

“We’re done with Teams,” declared Dirk Schroedter, the digital minister for Schleswig-Holstein.

He went on to say that the conflict in Ukraine has forced nations to see the necessity for greater technological and energy independence.

Denmark is doing the same thing, switching because of concerns about US tech access limitations by adopting LibreOffice in place of Microsoft Office, following Germany’s example. Large cities have already begun the transformation, such as Copenhagen.

The action was taken in response to concerns that political tensions, especially those with the US, may eventually make it impossible to access vital data and tools.

According to allegations, following political pressure from the United States, Microsoft allegedly restricted a senior international prosecutor’s email access.

LibreOffice has begun to replace Microsoft Office in the Danish government. The transition has already started in certain major cities, such as Copenhagen. They fear that political concerns, particularly those involving the United States, may eventually prevent them from getting crucial data and tools.

For instance, it was reported that, in response to political pressure from the United States, Microsoft once banned a prominent international prosecutor from using his email. The incident caused worry in Europe, even though Microsoft denied doing it on purpose.

Countries are also considering alternatives as a result of rising expenses.

The increasing price of Microsoft software has also made nations like Denmark think about making the transition.

In just five years, the cost of Microsoft software in Copenhagen rose by an astounding 72%.

These countries are moving toward open-source alternatives as a result of this financial load, as well as their desire for data protection and autonomy from large US IT giants.

Other countries that do not use Microsoft Office suite are Cuba, Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Sudan, and Syria.