cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/28202261

The international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement are calling on people to cancel Game Pass subscriptions, avoid Microsoft-owned video game properties such as Minecraft and Call Of Duty, and boycott all Microsoft Gaming and Xbox-branded products in protest at the company’s reported business connections with the Israeli military.

The call follows allegations this January about the Israeli military’s usage of Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology and artificial intelligence products in the course of its bombardment and invasion of Gaza.

According to a joint investigation between the Guardian, Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, with additional reporting from Drop Site News, Microsoft have “deepened” their relationship with Israel’s defence establishment since 7th October 2023, when several Palestinian militant groups struck across the border and massacred over a thousand people. Israel responded to the attack by mounting a ground offensive and airstrikes that have destroyed much of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

  • WR5@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Well except for any Xbox peripherals such as controllers, or games published or made by studios owned by Microsoft. It’s not just Windows OS.

    • Toribor@corndog.social
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      1 day ago

      These days 8BitDo controllers are superior to first party Xbox controllers and sold for cheaper.

      • MoonlightFox@lemmy.world
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        7 hours ago

        Yep, I have the 2.4ghz dongle ones with hall effect sensors and charging stand. Its just better and cheaper. The dongle is so that I don’t have to sync, I kinda like the whole plug in and it just works.

    • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
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      2 days ago

      with piracy you can boycott games without even stopping yourself from playing them.

      • duchess@feddit.org
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        21 hours ago

        The most cowardly and entitled boycott is certainly the one where you still consume without spending money.

        • Doorbook@lemmy.world
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          15 hours ago

          So, the company you supporting publicly uses torrent, to feed its AI model, to Murder on camera, children, women, fist aid worker, journalist and innocents people. Yet, you call someone using the pirated content weak?

            • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              14 hours ago

              And piracy means that you can enjoy them without having to support whatever bad shit happened to make them so you don’t need to avoid them

              Pretty simple stuff, really

        • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
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          13 hours ago

          its in fact the best boycott. boycotts have nothing to do with personal sacrifice. rub it in their faces and force them to spend millions in DRM, or pay up.

          just don’t suck up to corporations.

    • Nima@leminal.space
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      2 days ago

      my xbox controller works fine on linux. and I don’t feel the need to stay for xbox exclusive software anymore. this isnt 1998. Software comparable or better than microsoft-made applications and programs are numerous now. you can choose freely. and proton is extremely powerful now.

      the world needs to move on from windows and microsoft. its time.

      • WR5@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I agree with all of this, my point is your Xbox controller is a Microsoft product? And if you purchase or play any games owned by Microsoft, they are also Microsoft products? So you would need to boycott all of that as well. That is just a much larger net cast than just not using Windows.

        • amino@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          2 days ago

          BDS does not imply you stop using whatever you already own. it’s about preventing future purchases

            • amino@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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              23 hours ago

              institutions should divest from future and present contracts. most consumers don’t have contracts with Microsoft. selling your electronics doesn’t hurt them in any way nor is that something that BDS asks for on their website:

              https://bdsmovement.net/microsoft

          • WR5@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Again, agreed. The original poster said “use Linux, that will remove everything Microsoft”. That is disingenuous, because you can use Linux and still purchase Microsoft products compatible with Linux. So my point was not to toss your existing items. However, you cannot replace your existing physical Microsoft products, purchase new digital content, or support any of Microsoft software in addition to switching from Windows. I didn’t imply anything about what you may already own.

    • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Glad I‘ve waited for the Switch 2 pro controller to come out. I‘m in need of a new one and Xbox probably would‘ve been my second choice. And yes I‘ve looked into 8bitdio and what not, but they‘re not cheap either and I was happy with my switch pro for 7 years until recently.

      • WR5@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I mean Nintendo isn’t really pro-consumer either. I’m not sure if they donate or support genocide, but they are pretty capitalistic to a fault.

        • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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          22 hours ago

          You criticize capitalism, yet you participate in it. Curious. /s

          If you know a manufacturer that‘s handing out world class controllers for free let me know, but otherwise I didn‘t ask.