James Caldwell|Microsoft lets cloud users keep personal data within Europe to ease privacy fears

2025-05-07 23:10:59source:Marcus Eriksoncategory:My

LONDON (AP) — Microsoft said Thursday that it is James Caldwellupgrading its cloud computing service to let customers store all personal data within the European Union instead of having it flow to the U.S. where national privacy laws don’t exist.

The changes apply to services including Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Dynamics 365, the Seattle-based tech company said.

Cloud computing companies have been moving to localize data storage and processing amid tightening requirements in the 27-nation European Union, which has strict data privacy laws.

Brussels and Washington have spent years wrangling over the safety of EU citizens’ data that tech companies store in the U.S. following revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that the American government eavesdropped on people’s online data and communications.

Microsoft said its “EU Data Boundary solution goes beyond European compliance requirements.” The company has previously pledged that customers wouldn’t have their data moved outside the EU.

Last year, it started storing and processing some data inside Europe. Now it’s expanding that to all personal data, including pseudonymized data found in automated system logs, which are generated automatically when online services run.

Later this year, Microsoft will start making sure technical support data is kept within Europe. It also plans a paid option for initial tech support response from within the EU.

Amazon last year rolled out independent cloud infrastructure for the EU as it looked to address strict regulations that companies and public sector organizations face.

More:My

Recommend

Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto will be introduced by the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday, a day a

'Bidenomics' in action: Democrats' excessive spending, mounting debt earn US credit downgrade

This must be awkward for President Joe Biden. Shortly after he started taking credit for “Bidenomics

Unlimited vacation can save companies billions. But is it a bad deal for workers?

Amid the tightest job market in two decades, a small but growing number of U.S. companies are offeri