Microsoft Wins Protection for E-Mails Stored Outside U.S.

By Bob Van Voris and Dina Bass, Bloomberg News

Microsoft Corp. won’t be forced to turn over e-mails stored in Ireland to the U.S. government for a drug investigation, an appeals court said in a decision that may affect data security throughout the U.S. technology industry.

The ruling on Thursday overturned a 2014 decision ordering Microsoft to hand over messages of a suspected drug trafficker.

The company argued that would create a “global free-for-all” with foreign countries forcing companies to turn over evidence stored in the U.S. The government said a ruling in favor of Microsoft would create legal loophole to ...