A court in Belgium has summoned the provider of online communications Skype over a refusal of the latter to release contents of messages in relation to a criminal investigation.
A court in Mechelen, Flanders, had asked for data from messages and calls exchanged on Microsoft-owned Skype, arguing that telecom operators in the country were required to provide the information.
«The judicial question is whether Skype is also a telecoms operator,» the court spokesman told Reuters, adding that Skype would have to pass on the data if this was established to be the case and it could also face a fine.
Skype, which is part of the U.S. IT giant Microsoft was not immediately available for comment, Reuters reports.
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