Trump adviser asked why Microsoft won't help the government spy on people according to new book

What you need to know

• Microsoft President Brad Smith's new book includes a story in which a Trump adviser asked why Microsoft wouldn't spy on people.
• The book also includes disagreements with the Obama administration and discusses the roles of governments and technology.
• "Tools and Weapons: The Promise and The Peril of The Digital Age" is on sale now.

Microsoft President Brad Smith's book, "Tools and Weapons: The Promise and The Peril of The Digital Age," has already made several headlines, including Smith weighing in on Huawei and the export ban list, and Taylor Swift threatening to sue Microsoft over a bigoted Twitter bot. Now, another story about the U.S. government from Smith's new book has been highlighted by Geekwire. Geekwire recounts the passage from the new book in which an unnamed Trump adviser asked Smith why Microsoft would not help the U.S. government spy on people in other countries.

Smith clarified to the adviser that Microsoft was not open to discussing the issue. The new book is full of complex situations in which Smith shares his thoughts on the role of government, laws, and regulations on technology. It also includes disagreements between Microsoft and the Obama administration and discusses everything from privacy to facial recognition policy.

The book shares several peeks behind the curtain of Smith's unique perspective regarding technology and governments. This book is not the first time that Smith has shared his thoughts on these issues. In July of 2018, Smith urged the government to regulate facial recognition technology.