Microsoft's Twitter account: Don't use our e

In an apparent hacking of the Microsoft News Twitter account, a tweet emerges saying the company sells customer data to the government. The Syrian Electronic Army claims responsibility.

(Credit: Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

Sometimes, irony adorns Twitter like the sugar on a doughnut.

On Saturday morning, however, the Microsoft News Twitter account offered a curious instruction. It read: 'Don't use Microsoft emails(hotmail,outlook),They are monitoring your accounts and selling the data to the governments. #SEA @Official_SEA16.'

The accusation might be referred to as a Reverse Scroogling. Or, perhaps, a Microsofting.

As to the perpetrators, the 'SEA' hashtag points to the Syrian Electronic Army, a hacking group sympathetic to President Bashar Assad.

The SEA has operated for some time now, hacking its way into places such as a BBC Twitter account.

A follow-up tweet issued through the Microsoft News Twitter account showed an image of the Syrian flag with the message: 'Syrian Electronic Army Was Here via @Official_SEA16 #SEA.'

I have contacted Microsoft to wonder what might have happened here and will update, should I hear back.

(Credit: Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)