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Microsoft allows foreign users’ data to be housed out of US

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With all of the hubbub surrounding the NSA and its many scandals, Microsoft preempted a lot of their foreign customers’ fears and have announced that they’re allowing their users’ data to be housed outside of the US.

The Financial Times reported on the unprecedented move. Most US-based tech companies, like Google, are refusing to comply with other countries requests to allow their citizens’ data to be stored domestically. This is why Microsoft’s move is kind of a big deal.

There are some countries that are even threatening to bar their citizens’ from using American-based internet services if said companies refuse to allow their users’ data to be stored outside the US.

Microsoft has said that the move was made as a gesture of good faith to their customers all over the world, who are concerned that the NSA has their hands on their data.

Brad Smith of Microsoft had this to say about their controversial decision:

“People should have the ability … to make an informed choice of where their data resides.”

It’s also worth mentioning that Smith is pushing hard for an EU-US joint venture that protects the data gathered by tech companies on their users’ for use of espionage.

How do you feel about Microsoft’s move? Is it shocking that an American company would put such a high value on protecting foreign customers’ data?

Source | Via

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