EmbeddingGemma 2: an open, lightweight multimodal embedding model
deepmind.google·6d ago
AI Engineering
Hacker News·Aug 23·5 min read
Over 170k Nonprofits Lost All Their Data. Is Microsoft to Blame?
TL;DR
Over 170,000 nonprofits, including Canopy, lost all their data stored with Microsoft due to a deletion error, raising concerns about data management practices. Microsoft initially promised data recovery but later confirmed the files were permanently lost.
✦ Why It Matters
Evaluate your data backup strategies to ensure critical information is protected against unexpected losses.
Key Takeaways
- Regularly back up data to external drives or alternative cloud services.
- Monitor communications from software providers for critical updates.
- Consider diversifying software tools to avoid dependency on a single provider.
- Stay informed about changes in nonprofit grant offerings and licenses.
Full Summary
Ronald Khosla, co-founder of the nonprofit Canopy, discovered that all his organization's data stored on Microsoft OneDrive was deleted without warning. This incident reflects a broader crisis affecting over 171,000 small nonprofits that relied on Microsoft's free Office suite licenses.
Microsoft announced the phaseout of these licenses in 2025 but failed to effectively communicate the changes, leading many organizations to lose critical data. While some nonprofits received notifications, many did not, and the lack of clear communication left them unprepared.
The abrupt loss of access to essential tools has severely impacted their operations, with some organizations losing hundreds of gigabytes of data. Experts suggest that Microsoft's decision to streamline its nonprofit offerings may be linked to its focus on AI and data storage needs, leaving smaller organizations in a precarious position.