Microsoft has drawn criticism after deleting a user's 25-year-old account, which contained digital game purchases and personal photographs, following a security breach.
Joshua Khane, a user of 25 years, reported that his account was hacked. Upon contacting Microsoft customer support for assistance, he was informed that due to changes in security information, his account would be permanently suspended to comply with the company's terms of service. This decision resulted in the irreversible deletion of all data associated with the account, including his OneDrive storage and a significant collection of digital games.
"25 fucking years of data, thousands of euros spended [sic] on games?? My son’s baby pictures? GONE!" Khane stated in a post on X. The deleted content also included irreplaceable personal photos of his son. Khane expressed disbelief that Microsoft would choose to completely erase a user's digital library, especially after acknowledging he was the legitimate owner of the account and that it had been compromised.
Miscrosft's actions come at a time when the company has faced scrutiny over account security and restoration. Recently, a separate incident involved a man in Brazil who sued Microsoft after being told he would have to repurchase lost games due to a hacked account. In that case, a court ordered Microsoft to restore the user's account, though it remains unclear if this has been completed.
Following Khane's public post, Microsoft responded on X, apologizing for the account deletion and stating that efforts are underway to restore access to his purchases. The company has indicated it is working on the situation, with hopes that Khane will regain access to his data, including the deleted baby pictures.