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Microsoft director admits E.U. data not exempt from Patriot Act spying

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posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 04:17 PM
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Microsoft director admits E.U. data not exempt from Patriot Act spying


www.rawstory.com

In the brave new world of cloud computing, where data is stored off-site in massive server farms instead of on a user's local hard drive, privacy and security are paramount in the consumer's mind.

Unfortunately for privacy advocates, their concerns are essentially moot thanks to the U.S.A. Patriot Act, which a key Microsoft official said recently permits the U.S. to spy on data stored within cloud servers across the European Union.
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 04:17 PM
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Wow. EU countries can't be happy with that.... The recent extension of the Patriot Act sure did come in handy with international spying capabilities (not to mention domestic spying capabilities of course).


According to Whittaker's report, Frazer was asked whether the company could "guarantee that EU-stored data, held in EU based datacenters, will not leave the European Economic Area under any circumstances".

Because Microsoft is a U.S.-based company, he replied, they would be bound by its laws.


www.rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 04:21 PM
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reply to post by Iamonlyhuman
 


Well, no cloud computing for me then. I see no reason why anyone, and the US in particular, should nose around in my data.



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 04:31 PM
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reply to post by snewpers
 


Seriously. This has to be seen as a major flaw. Is this a death nail for cloud computing?



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 04:46 PM
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reply to post by Iamonlyhuman
 


I sure hope so!

I do understand why it's 'convenient' to have data online so you can access it from any location, but come on, it should be obvious that your data will be read by others, sooner or later.



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 05:00 PM
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Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman
reply to post by snewpers
 


Seriously. This has to be seen as a major flaw. Is this a death nail for cloud computing?


100% yes.

You would have to be totally absolutely 100% certifiable insane to trust a 'cloud' to store your data safely.

That said, I threw an absolute fit at the local census director at Lockheed Martin storing our data - as an American company we now know the patriot act allows them to trawl through data which is supposed to be classified for 80 years.

My final thoughts? Dear US, # off you facist bastards.



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 05:25 PM
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I am just so surprised none of you protect your own data.

I run my own server, well me and 3 other people plus we use encryption software for everything.

Nothing is ever safe 100% but using non Microsoft product like linux and "sealing" your own data is possible if you take the time to do it.

To me, my online persona and Data is as vitally important as my In life persona. In fact they are inextricably linked.

So please all start to look at protecting yourselves. IF your data can be viewed by others or stored by others then it can also be changed and manipulated against you. In cyber space nothing is gone forever.

Cloud computing has always been a joke. Fancy names for applications that have LARGE security holes.



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 05:27 PM
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Originally posted by Astr0

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman
reply to post by snewpers
 


Seriously. This has to be seen as a major flaw. Is this a death nail for cloud computing?


100% yes.

You would have to be totally absolutely 100% certifiable insane to trust a 'cloud' to store your data safely.



Allow me to introduce you to the millions of facebook members who will do just this.



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 05:33 PM
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This is no surprise. I work in the UK and the organisation I work for (a public body) disallows any data processing and storage outside of the UK. We just don't trust these pesky foreigners to be straight and up front in dealing with our data. Simple really.

The problem is that Microsoft (and others) are happy to promote a new world but are less willing to tell us the grubby facts. My advice (if you are still awake) is not to touch Facebook, Twitter, Apple and any other organisation who does not store data in the country of origin so it is subject to the laws and processes people expect.

Regards



posted on Jun, 29 2011 @ 05:43 PM
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You would have to be totally absolutely 100% certifiable insane to trust a 'cloud' to store your data safely.




Allow me to introduce you to the millions of facebook members who will do just this.


.I guess you got me there.

I just hope some one some where installs some common sense into a fair chunk of people before the cloud becomes the norm.



posted on Jun, 30 2011 @ 01:55 AM
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There is a difference (for me at least) between corporate cloud computing/storage and social networks. The whole idea of social networks is to share (at least some) data with strangers so people you've lost track of in the past can find you, and 'new friends (cough)' can 'relate' to you. As far as I know, facebook and twitter are social networks and you shouldn't be online if you think that data is protected.

Not to sure why you mention Apple? I worry more about google, who's happily mapping out your online life.

Our company uses encryption on all (mail)traffic and we do not allow mailing to hotmail, gmail etc. There are many solutions that can give you access to your documents from any location, stored on your own servers. Might cost a few more bucks, but it's worth it in the end!

A company that stores data online with a third party is asking for trouble, period.





Originally posted by paraphi
This is no surprise. I work in the UK and the organisation I work for (a public body) disallows any data processing and storage outside of the UK. We just don't trust these pesky foreigners to be straight and up front in dealing with our data. Simple really.

The problem is that Microsoft (and others) are happy to promote a new world but are less willing to tell us the grubby facts. My advice (if you are still awake) is not to touch Facebook, Twitter, Apple and any other organisation who does not store data in the country of origin so it is subject to the laws and processes people expect.

Regards



posted on Jul, 1 2011 @ 02:52 AM
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Well, It's not like it is just a U.S. effort to exploit cloud computing. If there is a country on the planet that has any sort of "technologically" advanced intelligence collection agaency, then you can bet that they are looking at ways to exploit the huge weakness that cloud computing has built into it. And I'm sure the members of the E.U. 's collective intelligence agencies go by the same motto the US intelligence agencies go by, "In God we trust, all others we MONITOR!"



posted on Jul, 1 2011 @ 03:40 AM
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Its probably only ATS.com members who will know/worry about this, I have never, in eight years of owning a desktop, stored information/data anywhere else except on hard drives or disks, and in a lot of cases, printed and then deleted, and to be really paranoid, when I learned that the Chinese could hack peoples webcams, that item has been covered when not in use! also the desktop is only drawing power when in use. (and I have a double layer tin hat!)




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