Comments on: Buckle up for a new wave of cloud protectionism

By: Barb Darrow

Barb Darrow — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:16:43 +0000

thanks joel. i’ve downloaded this and will take a look

By: Joel M. Margolis

Joel M. Margolis — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:50:46 +0000

The claim about the Patriot Act and E.U. data protection is based on a misunderstanding of the law and facts. Check out this white paper on the subject.
http://www.subsentio.com/index.php/eng/Public-Statements/Europe-vs-the-PATRIOT-Act/Europe-v-the-PATRIOT-Act-Does-U.S.-Law-Enforcement-Violate-E.U.-Civil-Rights

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:07:00 +0000

The question comes down to do all affiliated companies fall under the Patriot act?

Thus is Google UK, a separate, wholly owned subsidiary of Google Inc, required to turn data over under the Patriot Act when Google Inc is requested to do so?

By: Michael Gentle

Michael Gentle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:45:06 +0000

I’ll join the chorus. The article misses the point. This has nothing to do with cloud computing, and everything to do with information and data privacy, which pre-dates cloud computing. it’s the Patriot Act and the US vs EU approach to data privacy that have brought it to the fore. If the information were stored in shoe boxes in the US instead of cloud servers, the reactions would be the same.

By: Michael Gentle

Michael Gentle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:14:55 +0000

I’ll join the chorus. This has nothing to do with cloud, and everything to do with information and data privacy. These laws have been around well before cloud computing; it’s the Patriot Act and the general US view on data privacy that have brought it to the fore. If the information were stored in shoe boxes in the US instead of cloud servers, the reactions would be the same.

Michael Gentle

By: Barb Darrow

Barb Darrow — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:39:17 +0000

The Patriot Act is a problem — has many detractors here as well.

By: Barb Darrow

Barb Darrow — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:44:03 +0000

I hear you David. People here worry about data privacy too although there seems a generational divide on that at least in the US.

By: Jeremy Bee

Jeremy Bee — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:43:37 +0000

You are framing this debate incorrectly (protectionism), and missing a salient point. Most “western” countries outside the USA have data protection and privacy laws. As long as the USA allows it’s government to (potentially) view, download and track all the information on servers located in the USA, how can any non-USA entity use them without breaking these laws? I know this is the case in Canada. It is illegal for any government or public agency to use any service that has servers based in the USA.

It’s the patriot act problem again, not nationalism.

By: David Wo

David Wo — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:12:04 +0000

It’s not just the Patriot Act that worries us here in Europe. It’s the fundamental differences in attitudes about privacy.

The EU uses a comprehensive approach to privacy, treating all data regarding an individual in all contexts. Any technology or implementation must adopt fundamental privacy considerations from the very start, before release.

The US uses sector-specific legislation or regulation, and sometimes self-regulation. New legislation or regulations must be considered with each new technology; privacy protections typically lag new technologies.

Whilst general data protection is a primary motivator for privacy protection in the EU, it is not in the US.

I’d say that the EU is highly proactive in this area, the US completely reactive.

By: Antonio

Antonio — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:11:31 +0000

It is not cloud protectionism, it is information protectionism.