Microsoft can pursue its legal challenge against the US government, a federal court has ruled, in a case that the software giant argues that government gag orders are unconstitutional.

The judge said Microsoft made a reasonable argument that gag orders, issued by government agencies to prevent the company from telling the customer of an investigation, violates its constitutional rights to free speech.

Judge James Robart upheld those First Amendment rights in his ruling Thursday, but declined its Fourth Amendment argument against unreasonable searches and seizures, saying that overturning the precedent would need to go to a higher court.