Outlook saying I need more storage.

My view is that Microsoft are trying to do a YouTube, whereby what was once a straight free service is now so infested with ads that presumably enough users get fed up and succumb to buying ad-free YouTube Premium (the woman who set that up is now worth around 600 m USD). Since Microsoft presumably can't change the terms of the free Hotmail to which we all signed up, it appears that they are trying to squeeze/scare users into buying storage by the methods you described. Which may be illegal, certainly unethical, and I am going to try to prove that. If I have results will post them on this site.

I emailed Microsoft CEO Clare Barclay (claredotbarclayatmicrosoftdotcom - if I write the address normally it will be deleted). She lacked the elementary good manners to reply to me, obviously considering that I am insufficiently important to matter. Instead I got a brush-off from Angelica Leng (Escalations Dept). Who then in a second email told me that my questions were now 'archived' (closed). The problem for Microsoft is that they can't actually answer my questions honestly because it would reveal their wrong doing. Good luck.

What you say is correct. What I can't accept is that Microsoft are effectively changing the way we use Hotmail in what is effectively an underhand, and therefore unethical, way. It may even be illegal, since, despite their armies of lawyers, they are presumably still capable of error, so I will attempt to find out about it if I can. What I find unacceptable is that users, many long-time, perhaps using Hotmail before some Microsoft staff were born, at being driven off Hotmail by unethical behaviour. Which I personally am not prepared to accept without finding out what is actually going on.

Hi Jane. I agree. Either they acted ethically and legally, or they didn't. If the latter, then it cannot be too difficult to demonstrate that fact, but it would need someone who has the tech abilities, and interest. I have got some pathways, and I'll see how far I get. When I am abused I don't let it rest. lf there has been deceit, then it would be a matter for the authorities, and in fact could be a serious matter.

Hi Jane. I agree. Either they acted ethically and legally, or they didn't. If the latter, then it cannot be too difficult to demonstrate that fact, but it would need someone who has the tech abilities, and interest. I have got some pathways, and I'll see how far I get. When I am abused I don't let it rest. lf there has been deceit, then it would be a matter for the authorities, and in fact could be a serious matter.

It's a pretty shameful jump to make to 'I have been abused' because a for-profit company converted their free service into a semi-paid one.

While I agree with you RE their ethics being poor in this decision making, it's their service and they have a right to refuse it or place it behind a paywall as they wish. We as users need to vote with our wallets, if we don't like it then we go elsewhere and tell em to stuff themselves.

It appears that you think that acting unethically is not a form of abuse. But how about if they acted illegally? Is that OK? I really couldn't care less if they make it a pay service, it's not expensive. But that in no way makes it acceptable if what they doing is either illegal or unethical. And doing nothing about it means you will never have a better world. So I will take steps to see if I can establish those issues. Do what you want, it's a free world, but if you really believe that 'voting with your wallet' will make the slightest difference to Fortress Microsoft, who are only interested in big money, then I wish you a pleasant fantasy. Microsoft's gross profit for the twelve months ending December 31, 2022 was $139.110B, a 9.31% increase year-over-year. Microsoft annual gross profit for 2022 was $135.62B, a 17.06% increase from 2021.That should show you that we are merely drops in the Microsoft ocean, as conclusively demonstrated by their total lack of interest when I raised the these issues with them.