Microsoft-owned Skype denies 'redesigned network' upgrade will help snoop on users

London, July 28 (ANI): Free Internet-calling firm Skype has denied accusations that the changes to its technical infrastructure, will make it easier for law enforcement officials to spy on its 600 million users.

The firm, which was acquired by Microsoft last year, admitted it had redesigned and upgraded its network to give it greater control, but denied that the move was meant to assist government officials for snooping on Skype communications on the Internet.

"The move to supernodes was not intended to facilitate greater law enforcement access to our users' communications," The Telegraph quoted Mark Gillett, Skype's Chief Development and Operations officer, as saying."Our position has always been that when a law enforcement entity follows the appropriate procedures, we respond where legally required and technically feasible," he added.

Skype has previously been viewed as a problem for investigators and a boon for privacy-seekers because of its distributed, peer-to-peer architecture.

However, Gillett vehemently rebutted claims that Skype allows eavesdropping, as Microsoft's data centres consist of "supernodes" that prohibits one to spy or monitor any online call.

"The move to in-house hosting of "supernodes" does not provide for monitoring or recording of calls. The enhancements we have been making to our software and infrastructure have been to improve user experience and reliability. Period," he clarified.

Skype, however, did not deny a report that the changes made, do mean that it could hand over more data about users in response to lawful requests from authorities, the report said. (ANI)