Microsoft to Host Data in Germany to Block the US from Spying on Its Users

[Batu69]

Customers will have to pay extra for the German storage

Microsoft’s getting ready to take the fight with the United States government over user data to a completely new level, as the company is ready to turn to data centers in Germany in order to block American agencies from snooping in on customers.

CEO Satya Nadella announced at a press conference in Berlin that Microsoft would operate new data centers in the country with help from Deutsche Telekom, which basically means that a German company will be in charge of information stored on German servers, so any inquiry to access user details is subjected to local laws.

Microsoft is one of the companies fighting against the United States government’s struggle to access customer data stored overseas, with one particular case still ongoing. US intelligence agencies are seeking information about a Microsoft customer whose information is stored on Irish servers, but Redmond has denied the request, claiming that a search warrant issued by the United States is only valid in the country and cannot be used in any other state.

While a verdict in this case is not yet ready, moving to Germany and joining forces with a local company surely helps, but on the other hand, it could trigger a series of consequences not only directly aimed at itself but also at other cloud service providers in the United States.

Data centers to open in late 2016

Google and Amazon, for instance, might be forced to take similar steps if their customers ask them to, as opening new data centers in Europe could certainly help protect their privacy. It’s not a secret that the European Union is far more concerned with users’ privacy than the United States, and Germany excels in terms of protection offered to customer data.

But storing data on Microsoft’s servers in Germany won’t be free. Customers will have to pay for this, FT writes, citing CEO Satya Nadella.

“These new data center regions will enable customers to use the full power of Microsoft’s cloud in Germany… and ensure that a German company retains control of the data” Satya Nadella was quoted as saying.

Certainly, the United States won’t be happy with Microsoft’s decision to move data to Germany, so expect some pretty harsh reactions in the next months.

T-Systems, subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, will be in charge of two data centers in Germany that will open in late 2016, so absolutely all data requests will be sent to the German company and will have to comply with local regulations.

News source

[dcs18]

Microsoft to Host Data in Germany to Block the US from Spying on Its Users

It is not often that one finds the Doctor having to swallow their own bitter medicine. :think:

[steven36]

This went so good for cyberghost when they were in Germany that they had to leave and move there servers to Romania . Germany don't have the best record in the world for privacy ether..

And really the bottom line is this if M$ loses its case in court moving the data elsewhere want help them . There a USA company . After years of giving data freely to USA now they want to play privacy advocates? wolves in sheep's clothing is all they are. If they didnt make O/S that spied on you to began with no one would care. :lol: .

Can Germany keep the US out of its datacenters? Can Ireland?

Time, and court cases, will tell.

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2015/11/12/microsoft-to-host-data-in-germany-to-evade-us-spying/

[straycat19]

If I was Microsoft, Facebook, Google and many others, I would shut down all operations in the US and move them overseas to a foreign country that had strict privacy laws and was outside of the American courts because our government flat out sucks. They forgot the part in the constitution about By the People and For the People and substituted Screw the People.

[steven36]

Why would they do that? you ever seen the story about Apple were they got away with tax fraud all there profits are stored in a bank in Ireland were they don't pay taxes on . If they moved somewhere else they would have to really pay taxes . Also the USA lets them import everything made from China (Slave labor.) Apple pays about 20 some dollars for a $800 iphone everything is made in China other countries would not allow them to do this . The reason these places stay in The USA is they let the rich do what they want it dont have nothing to do with data collecting . Its all these companies have dark secrets and are allowed to rip off the system . If a normal person done this they would lose everything they had. There's no mandatory data retention laws in the USA . They collect data for profit and the Government wants access too it.


Here's good example of they don't have to collect data to begin with.

DuckDuckGo The company is based in Paoli, Pennsylvania, United States, in Greater Philadelphia

DuckDuckGo positions itself as a search engine that puts privacy first and as such it does not store IP addresses, does not log user information and uses cookies only when needed. Weinberg states "By default, DuckDuckGo does not collect or share personal information. That is our privacy policy in a nutshell." However, they do maintain logs of all search terms used.[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckDuckGo

When you install Linux you don't have to agree to nothing like you do installing any Proprietary O/S unless you agree to install Amazon app . As long as you don't install Proprietary software you don't agree to nothing. Only Windows is needed for one thing if you play Windows PC games . And Microsoft has talked about about scanning Windows and removing them . :lol:

I use bomi video player on Linux Mint I can watch any known videos on my AMD Rig . B)

[galaxyquestor]

Why would they do that? you ever seen the story about Apple were they got away with tax fraud all there profits are stored in a bank in Ireland were they don't pay taxes on . If they moved somewhere else they would have to really pay taxes . Also the USA lets them import everything made from China (Slave labor.) Apple pays about 20 some dollars for a $800 iphone everything is made in China other countries would not allow them to do this . The reason these places stay in The USA is they let the rich do what they want it dont have nothing to do with data collecting . Its all these companies have dark secrets and are allowed to rip off the system . If a normal person done this they would lose everything they had. There's no mandatory data retention laws in the USA . They collect data for profit and the Government wants access too it.

Here's good example of they don't have to collect data to begin with.

DuckDuckGo The company is based in Paoli, Pennsylvania, United States, in Greater Philadelphia

DuckDuckGo positions itself as a search engine that puts privacy first and as such it does not store IP addresses, does not log user information and uses cookies only when needed. Weinberg states "By default, DuckDuckGo does not collect or share personal information. That is our privacy policy in a nutshell." However, they do maintain logs of all search terms used.[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckDuckGo

When you install Linux you don't have to agree to nothing like you do installing any Proprietary O/S unless you agree to install Amazon app . As long as you don't install Proprietary software you don't agree to nothing. Only Windows is needed for one thing if you play Windows PC games . And Microsoft has talked about about scanning Windows and removing them . :lol:

I use bomi video player on Linux Mint I can watch any known videos on my AMD Rig . B)

The best two search engines (just IMHO), are superbly written for privacy: "Startpage" and "IxQuick." I use both on all computers: no recorded IP addresses, and even an embedded proxy to play videos through, or to access the target site. Your I.P can't have a clue what you have searched for or found, (and if you use programs like "hide my ass," and/or DNS Jumper (both free)), there is no reason to stay unprotected with regards to location.

It's a great, secure combination - particularly launching a search with either search engine, using their incorporated proxy, and at the same time obfuscating your location with DNS Jumper, and "Hide My Ass" to really confuse the issue.

I believe a lot of people just tend to think it's too expensive or complicated to be anonymous. It isn't either.

It's o.k. with me if Microsoft has had a change of heart - companies must respond to their customers when the weight shifts too far one way or the other.

I think (I hope, anyway) that the majority of U.S. citizens are really angry and nervous about being monitored, recorded and tracked, every email and conversation able to be called up any time. Like walking around with a numbered target on your back.

The shift from "I'm not doing anything wrong, so why should I care?," to "WTF right do these assholes have to track me and my family, anyway?" is a positive development.

It IS about rights - our rights, as stated in our Constitution. It's very sad that in the country that was built on the foundational concepts of individual right to privacy, liberty, and security, these companies have to leave this country to gain any privacy for us.

It's not really "the government," it's the Intelligence services, who've apparently forgotten who they work for and where their powers end.

One way or another, I hope to god that we can get our privacy back. WE (a majority of us) gave it up, out of fear.

Madness.

Just my 2 cents. Thanks for posting this, and raising the issue.