<description>&lt;p&gt;Writer, editor, and critic Autumn Wright joins me to talk about the Boycott, Divest, Sanction Movement and the Microsoft Boycott. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/strong&gt; 0:00 - Introduction 6:35 - What is BDS? 9:42 - Boycotting Microsoft 12:58 - We can do it 36:05 - Ideology, values, and the material 50:07 - What is to be done? 1:08:15 - No Azure for Apartheid 1:12:02 - External Pressure 1:14:52 - Developer Pressure 1:16:10 - Other Pressure Points 1:19:45 - Change da world 1:29:45 - How does this affect the show?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Works cited:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Autumn's piece for Aftermath:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://aftermath.site/microsoft-bds-games-journalism" rel="nofollow"&gt;Games Media Can&amp;amp;#x27;t Ignore BDS Xbox Boycott - Aftermath&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BDS Movement:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://bdsmovement.net/what-bds" rel="nofollow"&gt;BDS Movement - What is BDS?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott" rel="nofollow"&gt;Guide to BDS Boycott &amp;amp;amp; Pressure Corporate Priority Targeting&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.bdsmovement.net/microsoft" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft | BDS Movement&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://bdsmovement.net/news/boycott-microsofts-xbox" rel="nofollow"&gt;Boycott Microsoft&amp;amp;#x27;s Xbox | BDS Movement&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/israeli-military-gaza-war-microsoft" rel="nofollow"&gt;The Guardian - Revealed: Microsoft deepened ties with Israeli military to provide tech support during Gaza war&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.972mag.com/microsoft-azure-openai-israeli-army-cloud/" rel="nofollow"&gt;+972 Magazine - Leaked documents expose deep ties between Israeli army and Microsoft&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Other pieces referenced during the episode:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/microsoft-confirm-theyve-supplied-ai-tech-to-the-israeli-military-for-use-in-gaza-following-bds-xbox-boycott" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft confirm they&amp;amp;#x27;ve supplied AI tech to the Israeli military for use in Gaza, following BDS Xbox boycott | Rock Paper Shotgun&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.un.org/unispal/document/a-hrc-59-23-from-economy-of-occupation-to-economy-of-genocide-report-special-rapporteur-francesca-albanese-palestine-2025/" rel="nofollow"&gt;From economy of occupation to economy of genocide - (A/HRC/59/23) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 (Advance unedited version) - Question of Palestine&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://noescapevg.com/xbox-has-been-added-to-the-bds-list-so-what-now/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Xbox has been added to the BDS list. So what now? – No Escape&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://aftermath.site/ice-water-games-tenderfoot-tactics-xbox-store-removed-bds" rel="nofollow"&gt;Indie Dev Who Pulled Game From Xbox In Solidarity With Palestinian-Led BDS Hopes Others Will Do The Same - Aftermath&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.stereogum.com/2308906/brian-eno-calls-on-microsoft-to-cease-partnership-with-israel-will-donate-window-95-chime-fee-to-victims-in-gaza/news/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Brian Eno Calls On Microsoft To Cease Partnership With Israel, Will Donate Windows ‘95 Chime Fee To Victims In Gaza&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/05/15/statement-technology-israel-gaza/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft Statement on the Issues Relating to Technology Services in Israel and Gaza&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Microsoft’s Retaliation Against Employees:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/microsoft-fire-employees-who-protested-the-sale-of-genai-tech-to-the-israeli-military" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft fire employees who protested the sale of genAI tech to the Israeli military | Rock Paper Shotgun&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/microsoft-word-palestine-banned-internal-email-gaza?r=embcu&amp;amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;amp;triedRedirect=true" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft Bans the Word “Palestine” in Internal Emails&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/02/microsoft-workers-fired-gaza-vigil" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft workers fired over Gaza vigil say company ‘crumbled under pressure’ | US news | The Guardian&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/643670/microsoft-employee-protest-50th-annivesary-ai" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft employee disrupts 50th anniversary and calls AI boss ‘war profiteer’ | The Verge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/643777/microsoft-bill-gates-steve-ballmer-satya-nadella-employee-protestor" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft CEOs interrupted by another employee protestor: ‘shame on all of you’ | The Verge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/07/microsoft-fires-engineers-who-protested-during-anniversary-celebration.html" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft terminates jobs of engineers who protested use of AI products by Israel&amp;amp;#x27;s military&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/670812/microsoft-build-protest-keynote-jay-parikh-palestinian-tech-worker" rel="nofollow"&gt;Palestinian developer disrupts Microsoft keynote: ‘my people are suffering’&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/671373/microsoft-ai-security-chief-walmart-conversation-build-protest-disruption" rel="nofollow"&gt;Microsoft’s AI security chief accidentally reveals Walmart’s AI plans after protest | The Verge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Microsoft and Gen AI:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/ai-is-no-longer-optional-microsoft-is-allegedly-pressuring-employees-to-use-ai-tools-through-manager-evaluations/" rel="nofollow"&gt;&amp;amp;#x27;AI is no longer optional&amp;amp;#x27;: Microsoft is allegedly pressuring employees to use AI tools through manager evaluations | PC Gamer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/game-development/xbox-exec-suffers-bout-of-terminal-linkedin-brain-suggests-folks-laid-off-by-microsoft-use-ai-to-reduce-the-emotional-and-cognitive-load-that-comes-with-job-loss/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Xbox exec suffers bout of terminal LinkedIn brain, suggests folks laid off by Microsoft use AI to &amp;amp;#x27;reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss&amp;amp;#x27; | PC Gamer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/fresh-from-telling-laid-off-employees-to-console-themselves-with-ai-microsoft-doubles-down-by-advertising-xbox-jobs-with-pathetic-ai-image-so-tone-deaf-i-hope-it-is-satire/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Fresh from telling laid-off employees to console themselves with AI, Microsoft doubles down by advertising Xbox jobs with pathetic AI image: &amp;amp;#x27;So tone deaf I hope it is satire&amp;amp;#x27; | PC Gamer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No Azure for Apartheid:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://noazureforapartheid.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;No Azure for Apartheid&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/microsoft-end-complicity-in-apartheid-and-genocide/" rel="nofollow"&gt;Public Petition - Microsoft: End Complicity in Apartheid and Genocide&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;August’s Recommendations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://aftermath.site/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://aftermath.site/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://noescapevg.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://noescapevg.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.abnormalmapping.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://www.abnormalmapping.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://skyboxcritics.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://skyboxcritics.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://bulletpointsmonthly.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://bulletpointsmonthly.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://unwinnable.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://unwinnable.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Genocide-Bad/Sim-Kern/9781623716363" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Genocide-Bad/Sim-Kern/9781623716363&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow Autumn Wright:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://autumnwright.bearblog.dev/" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://autumnwright.bearblog.dev/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow Keifer and support the show:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://linktr.ee/KeiferL" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://linktr.ee/KeiferL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Artwork provided by Avry Ott:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://linktr.ee/mikepettry" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://linktr.ee/mikepettry&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Find out more at &lt;a href="https://select-and-start.pinecast.co" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://select-and-start.pinecast.co&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Send us your feedback online: &lt;a href="https://pinecast.com/feedback/select-and-start/f457056f-3c79-461f-a06c-b3e825119800" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://pinecast.com/feedback/select-and-start/f457056f-3c79-461f-a06c-b3e825119800&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This podcast is powered by &lt;a href="https://pinecast.com" rel="nofollow"&gt;Pinecast&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Select and Start

Keifer Lirette

Boycotting Xbox with Autumn Wright

AUG 3, 202592 MIN
Select and Start

Boycotting Xbox with Autumn Wright

AUG 3, 202592 MIN

Description

<p>Writer, editor, and critic Autumn Wright joins me to talk about the Boycott, Divest, Sanction Movement and the Microsoft Boycott. </p> <p><strong>Timestamps:</strong> 0:00 - Introduction 6:35 - What is BDS? 9:42 - Boycotting Microsoft 12:58 - We can do it 36:05 - Ideology, values, and the material 50:07 - What is to be done? 1:08:15 - No Azure for Apartheid 1:12:02 - External Pressure 1:14:52 - Developer Pressure 1:16:10 - Other Pressure Points 1:19:45 - Change da world 1:29:45 - How does this affect the show?</p> <p><strong>Works cited:</strong></p> <p><strong>Autumn's piece for Aftermath:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://aftermath.site/microsoft-bds-games-journalism" rel="nofollow">Games Media Can&amp;#x27;t Ignore BDS Xbox Boycott - Aftermath</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>BDS Movement:</strong> </p> <ul> <li><a href="https://bdsmovement.net/what-bds" rel="nofollow">BDS Movement - What is BDS?</a></li> <li><a href="https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott" rel="nofollow">Guide to BDS Boycott &amp;amp; Pressure Corporate Priority Targeting</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.bdsmovement.net/microsoft" rel="nofollow">Microsoft | BDS Movement</a></li> <li><a href="https://bdsmovement.net/news/boycott-microsofts-xbox" rel="nofollow">Boycott Microsoft&amp;#x27;s Xbox | BDS Movement</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/israeli-military-gaza-war-microsoft" rel="nofollow">The Guardian - Revealed: Microsoft deepened ties with Israeli military to provide tech support during Gaza war</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.972mag.com/microsoft-azure-openai-israeli-army-cloud/" rel="nofollow">+972 Magazine - Leaked documents expose deep ties between Israeli army and Microsoft</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Other pieces referenced during the episode:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/microsoft-confirm-theyve-supplied-ai-tech-to-the-israeli-military-for-use-in-gaza-following-bds-xbox-boycott" rel="nofollow">Microsoft confirm they&amp;#x27;ve supplied AI tech to the Israeli military for use in Gaza, following BDS Xbox boycott | Rock Paper Shotgun</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.un.org/unispal/document/a-hrc-59-23-from-economy-of-occupation-to-economy-of-genocide-report-special-rapporteur-francesca-albanese-palestine-2025/" rel="nofollow">From economy of occupation to economy of genocide - (A/HRC/59/23) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 (Advance unedited version) - Question of Palestine</a></li> <li><a href="https://noescapevg.com/xbox-has-been-added-to-the-bds-list-so-what-now/" rel="nofollow">Xbox has been added to the BDS list. So what now? – No Escape</a></li> <li><a href="https://aftermath.site/ice-water-games-tenderfoot-tactics-xbox-store-removed-bds" rel="nofollow">Indie Dev Who Pulled Game From Xbox In Solidarity With Palestinian-Led BDS Hopes Others Will Do The Same - Aftermath</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.stereogum.com/2308906/brian-eno-calls-on-microsoft-to-cease-partnership-with-israel-will-donate-window-95-chime-fee-to-victims-in-gaza/news/" rel="nofollow">Brian Eno Calls On Microsoft To Cease Partnership With Israel, Will Donate Windows ‘95 Chime Fee To Victims In Gaza</a></li> <li><a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/05/15/statement-technology-israel-gaza/" rel="nofollow">Microsoft Statement on the Issues Relating to Technology Services in Israel and Gaza</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Microsoft’s Retaliation Against Employees:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/microsoft-fire-employees-who-protested-the-sale-of-genai-tech-to-the-israeli-military" rel="nofollow">Microsoft fire employees who protested the sale of genAI tech to the Israeli military | Rock Paper Shotgun</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/microsoft-word-palestine-banned-internal-email-gaza?r=embcu&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;triedRedirect=true" rel="nofollow">Microsoft Bans the Word “Palestine” in Internal Emails</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/02/microsoft-workers-fired-gaza-vigil" rel="nofollow">Microsoft workers fired over Gaza vigil say company ‘crumbled under pressure’ | US news | The Guardian</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/643670/microsoft-employee-protest-50th-annivesary-ai" rel="nofollow">Microsoft employee disrupts 50th anniversary and calls AI boss ‘war profiteer’ | The Verge</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/643777/microsoft-bill-gates-steve-ballmer-satya-nadella-employee-protestor" rel="nofollow">Microsoft CEOs interrupted by another employee protestor: ‘shame on all of you’ | The Verge</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/07/microsoft-fires-engineers-who-protested-during-anniversary-celebration.html" rel="nofollow">Microsoft terminates jobs of engineers who protested use of AI products by Israel&amp;#x27;s military</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/670812/microsoft-build-protest-keynote-jay-parikh-palestinian-tech-worker" rel="nofollow">Palestinian developer disrupts Microsoft keynote: ‘my people are suffering’</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/671373/microsoft-ai-security-chief-walmart-conversation-build-protest-disruption" rel="nofollow">Microsoft’s AI security chief accidentally reveals Walmart’s AI plans after protest | The Verge</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Microsoft and Gen AI:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/ai-is-no-longer-optional-microsoft-is-allegedly-pressuring-employees-to-use-ai-tools-through-manager-evaluations/" rel="nofollow">&amp;#x27;AI is no longer optional&amp;#x27;: Microsoft is allegedly pressuring employees to use AI tools through manager evaluations | PC Gamer</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/game-development/xbox-exec-suffers-bout-of-terminal-linkedin-brain-suggests-folks-laid-off-by-microsoft-use-ai-to-reduce-the-emotional-and-cognitive-load-that-comes-with-job-loss/" rel="nofollow">Xbox exec suffers bout of terminal LinkedIn brain, suggests folks laid off by Microsoft use AI to &amp;#x27;reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss&amp;#x27; | PC Gamer</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/fresh-from-telling-laid-off-employees-to-console-themselves-with-ai-microsoft-doubles-down-by-advertising-xbox-jobs-with-pathetic-ai-image-so-tone-deaf-i-hope-it-is-satire/" rel="nofollow">Fresh from telling laid-off employees to console themselves with AI, Microsoft doubles down by advertising Xbox jobs with pathetic AI image: &amp;#x27;So tone deaf I hope it is satire&amp;#x27; | PC Gamer</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>No Azure for Apartheid:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://noazureforapartheid.com/" rel="nofollow">No Azure for Apartheid</a></li> <li><a href="https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/microsoft-end-complicity-in-apartheid-and-genocide/" rel="nofollow">Public Petition - Microsoft: End Complicity in Apartheid and Genocide</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>August’s Recommendations:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://aftermath.site/" rel="nofollow">https://aftermath.site/</a></li> <li><a href="https://noescapevg.com/" rel="nofollow">https://noescapevg.com/</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.abnormalmapping.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.abnormalmapping.com/</a></li> <li><a href="https://skyboxcritics.com/" rel="nofollow">https://skyboxcritics.com/</a></li> <li><a href="https://bulletpointsmonthly.com/" rel="nofollow">https://bulletpointsmonthly.com/</a></li> <li><a href="https://unwinnable.com/" rel="nofollow">https://unwinnable.com/</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Genocide-Bad/Sim-Kern/9781623716363" rel="nofollow">https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Genocide-Bad/Sim-Kern/9781623716363</a></li> </ul> <p>Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network. </p> <p><strong>Follow Autumn Wright:</strong> <a href="https://autumnwright.bearblog.dev/" rel="nofollow">https://autumnwright.bearblog.dev/</a></p> <p><strong>Follow Keifer and support the show:</strong> <a href="https://linktr.ee/KeiferL" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/KeiferL</a></p> <p><strong>Artwork provided by Avry Ott:</strong> <a href="https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns</a></p> <p><strong>Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry:</strong> <a href="https://linktr.ee/mikepettry" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/mikepettry</a></p> <p>Find out more at <a href="https://select-and-start.pinecast.co" rel="nofollow">https://select-and-start.pinecast.co</a></p> <p>Send us your feedback online: <a href="https://pinecast.com/feedback/select-and-start/f457056f-3c79-461f-a06c-b3e825119800" rel="nofollow">https://pinecast.com/feedback/select-and-start/f457056f-3c79-461f-a06c-b3e825119800</a></p> <p>This podcast is powered by <a href="https://pinecast.com" rel="nofollow">Pinecast</a>.</p>