And demand telemetry removed from all US services and products.
As it is now it's illegal to collect on children, but it should simply be completely illegal.
No they can't, they never could, and it's way way overdue for EU to finally wake up to the reality that all US owned cloud services are factually illegal for any European (EU) authority to use, from kindergartens to courts and everything in between.
It is also illegal for any private company operating in EU to hold any user/customer/personnel data on servers owned by American companies.
I've been saying this for more than 8 years now! Because this became apparent already under Obama, that the US government can demand, any data in any country held by any American company, to be handed over.
Furthermore they can do this in secret under anti terror laws. And the companies affected are not allowed to mention anything to anybody, under regulation of steep penalties.
This was what Obama claimed was a balanced approach!
And the Republicans are worse!
And now it is very apparent that the checks and balances don't even work. The current American administration will do whatever they want, and worry about legality later. And threaten any opposition with secrecy under national security and anti terror laws.
Keep way way away from any American form of server/digital service and especially cloud services.
And also keep away from American telemetry. Which all ought to be illegal in EU.
No I'm pretty sure money was the original reason. AWS was the first big cloud player and it quickly became the most profitable part of Amazon.
Now Microsoft already had more money than they know how to use, they may indeed have been looking for control first and foremost. But the idea of cloud in general was about exploiting economies of scale to make more money
Yeah nobody did. I've heard this kind of talk since the Patriot act went into effect but it wasn't really a problem as long as the US weren't overtly hostile to our institutions.
Right now a lot of people are scrambling to alternatives, at least in certain circles. Personally ive been gearing up a "de-americanization" service I plan to go to market in early 2026. It's gonna be great cause for the first time in my career I can go all in on communicating my opinions to potential customers \o/
It can't keep any countries' data safe from US authorities, yet most of the world's authorities are using Microsoft cloud because their IT personnel is a bunch of bought and paid for Microsoft buddies
Mind you, medical information from people all around the world is stored on private US servers. Good luck if you're trans, or have a"deviant" sex life!
Realities like this one are forcing entire nations to move to FOSS, more accountable systems, etc., which is a good thing for many of us, but bad for those who are in jurisdictions that they just can’t get enough of Microsoft et al.
A far journey ahead but at least we’re getting there!
Okay so AFAIK this concerns when US companied have foreign subsidiaries. What if foreign companies have US subsidiaries? Can the parent company's data stored outside the US be required from the US subsidiary?
The won't is irrelevant because they can't, the American anti terror law, gives major rights to any American security agency and even ordinary police to demand data. The only hurdle is a court order. And the agencies have their own anti terror courts that ONLY work with the agencies and only get their info from same agencies, because they are supposed to work in secret it can't be taken outside.
Faced with such a court order, the company is forced to keep it secret too, and they cannot defend themselves, except to the secret court that works closely with the agencies!
And it's the same for Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and any other American company. Microsoft has just admitted it, which isn't even necessary since this info was revealed by Edward Snowden just over a decade ago.
And Obama claimed USA had found a fair balance, the fair balance being that the government services can do just about whatever the fuck they want.
Microsoft even admitting this is probably bordering on being illegal, as this is supposed to be a secret, although anyone interested can look it up.
34 Comments
tonytins@pawb.social · 92 pts · 282d
More reasons for the EU to build their own data centers.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 58 pts · 282d
And demand telemetry removed from all US services and products.
As it is now it's illegal to collect on children, but it should simply be completely illegal.
themurphy@lemmy.ml · 22 pts · 282d
Or even better - stop using US services all together.
It's the hardest one to do, but it's way more effective. They will shit on the rules anyway.
tonytins@pawb.social · 10 pts · 282d
They're working on it, thankfully. Dozens of countries are replacing Windows, Office, etc.
sleen@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 281d
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 68 pts · 282d
No they can't, they never could, and it's way way overdue for EU to finally wake up to the reality that all US owned cloud services are factually illegal for any European (EU) authority to use, from kindergartens to courts and everything in between.
It is also illegal for any private company operating in EU to hold any user/customer/personnel data on servers owned by American companies.
I've been saying this for more than 8 years now! Because this became apparent already under Obama, that the US government can demand, any data in any country held by any American company, to be handed over. Furthermore they can do this in secret under anti terror laws. And the companies affected are not allowed to mention anything to anybody, under regulation of steep penalties.
This was what Obama claimed was a balanced approach!
And the Republicans are worse!
And now it is very apparent that the checks and balances don't even work. The current American administration will do whatever they want, and worry about legality later. And threaten any opposition with secrecy under national security and anti terror laws.
Keep way way away from any American form of server/digital service and especially cloud services.
And also keep away from American telemetry. Which all ought to be illegal in EU.
WanderingThoughts@europe.pub · 14 pts · 282d
That's the story of humanity. It's always alarmist BS until some higher up gets personally burned and it's suddenly red alert.
Doomsider@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 282d
What did you think the point of the "cloud" was?
It wasn't to make computing better.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 282d
I think the point is to make money.
Doomsider@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 282d
It was control. I guess money comes along with that.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 2 pts · 280d
No I'm pretty sure money was the original reason. AWS was the first big cloud player and it quickly became the most profitable part of Amazon.
Now Microsoft already had more money than they know how to use, they may indeed have been looking for control first and foremost. But the idea of cloud in general was about exploiting economies of scale to make more money
Doomsider@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 280d
Money has become secondary to control for a long time now.
Treczoks@lemmy.world · 42 pts · 282d
OK, who actually did think that data in Microsofts hands were safe from US meddling?
Any bit of data sent to an American server has to be considered compromized.
Kissaki@feddit.org · 13 pts · 282d
This is not only about data transmitted to the US, but also about data located in the EU - but still under the Microsoft umbrella, a US company.
Even if you know or strongly suspect something it is important to confirm and have it on record.
Also, many people don't have the technical or judicial expertise. It's obvious to you because you already know it.
This admission and the following press coverage was likely a significant revelation and wake-up call for a lot of people.
krooklochurm@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 282d
Better yet, who thinks any part of Microsoft gives a flying fuck about the concept of safety in any capacity?
Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 5 pts · 282d
Yes, the
deceptionmarketing departments.Kissaki@feddit.org · 3 pts · 282d
Safety is part of the business strategy because it has to be, at least to the degree of public image and in business risk assessment.
Zos_Kia@lemmynsfw.com · 4 pts · 282d
Yeah nobody did. I've heard this kind of talk since the Patriot act went into effect but it wasn't really a problem as long as the US weren't overtly hostile to our institutions.
Right now a lot of people are scrambling to alternatives, at least in certain circles. Personally ive been gearing up a "de-americanization" service I plan to go to market in early 2026. It's gonna be great cause for the first time in my career I can go all in on communicating my opinions to potential customers \o/
Jhex@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 282d
No gov should allow their data in Microsoft hands simply based on this...
mannycalavera@feddit.uk · 8 pts · 282d
Ooops too late
ParadoxSeahorse@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 282d
So what we’re saying is the CLOUD Act made it illegal in many countries to use American software and services that have any form of cloud storage?
Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 13 pts · 282d
And I say that dude does not know it.
When it happens, then he has no way of knowing it, and now they will make sure about him personally that he will never get any way of knowing it.
Alphane_Moon@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 282d
Only option is to not use Americans products and services.
America cannot be trusted. At the end of the day the current US administration is a mere symptom, not the root cause.
As another poster mentioned, there is far more similarity between Obama and Trump than most Americans would like to admit.
No disrespect to sane Americans. It is a disaster for global democracy that America has de facto transitioned to a chauvinistic oligarchy.
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 10 pts · 282d
It can't keep any countries' data safe from US authorities, yet most of the world's authorities are using Microsoft cloud because their IT personnel is a bunch of bought and paid for Microsoft buddies
Mind you, medical information from people all around the world is stored on private US servers. Good luck if you're trans, or have a"deviant" sex life!
joel_feila@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 281d
Its not the it personal. Its the c suitem
NGC2346@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 281d
I hate that MS is so widely used by companies across Canada
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 281d
Its worse when healthcare providers are using them. Very easy for politicians to abuse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry
Korkki@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 282d
Ofc they can't google, meta and Microsoft are the three pillars of US intelligence gathering network.
dread@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 282d
Realities like this one are forcing entire nations to move to FOSS, more accountable systems, etc., which is a good thing for many of us, but bad for those who are in jurisdictions that they just can’t get enough of Microsoft et al.
A far journey ahead but at least we’re getting there!
tfm@piefed.europe.pub · 7 pts · 282d
Obviously
OpenPassageways@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 282d
Isn't there some kind of sketchy corporate structure they could use to skirt this if they actually cared about data sovereignty?
"Sorry Feds, this data is actually held by Microsoft EU and not Microsoft".
Or do they only do that sketchy shit for dodging taxes and protecting people's data is a bridge too far?
herseycokguzelolacak@lemmy.ml · 6 pts · 282d
It does not work anymore. It used to work, that is why America passed the cloud act: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CLOUD_Act
boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 280d
Okay so AFAIK this concerns when US companied have foreign subsidiaries. What if foreign companies have US subsidiaries? Can the parent company's data stored outside the US be required from the US subsidiary?
TheBat@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 282d
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 282d
The won't is irrelevant because they can't, the American anti terror law, gives major rights to any American security agency and even ordinary police to demand data. The only hurdle is a court order. And the agencies have their own anti terror courts that ONLY work with the agencies and only get their info from same agencies, because they are supposed to work in secret it can't be taken outside.
Faced with such a court order, the company is forced to keep it secret too, and they cannot defend themselves, except to the secret court that works closely with the agencies!
And it's the same for Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and any other American company. Microsoft has just admitted it, which isn't even necessary since this info was revealed by Edward Snowden just over a decade ago.
And Obama claimed USA had found a fair balance, the fair balance being that the government services can do just about whatever the fuck they want.
Microsoft even admitting this is probably bordering on being illegal, as this is supposed to be a secret, although anyone interested can look it up.
mp3@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 282d
both