Re: [projectvrm] Sweden Bans Google Cloud Services Over Privacy Concerns

[Ed Bice < >]

Very interesting, Mary. Does feel like a potential pivot point -  this sort of ruling plus PRISM plus next weeks big data scandal should all start to tilt Google, et al, toward the demanded VRMy solutions.

I wonder whether this will extend to subcontractors to Swedish gov agencies? If so this ruling could snowball (a snowball which would land in my org as we are such a subcontractor). 

Chris Messina should be on this list, would be good to hear his take on this. 

-e. 

On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 8:43 AM, Mary Hodder < " target="_blank"> > wrote:

http://www.privacysurgeon.org/blog/incision/swedens-data-protection-authority-bans-google-apps/

"The ruling (By the Swedish Data Inspection Board) – which bans Google cloud products such as calendar services, email and data processing functions – is based on inadequacies in the Google contract. A risk assessment by the Board determined that the contract gives Google too much covert discretion over how data can be used, and that public sector customers are unable to ensure that data protection rights are protected.

"The assessment gives several examples of this deficiency, including uncertainty over how data may be mined or processed by Google and lack of knowledge about which subcontractors may be involved in the processing. The assessment also concluded that there was no certainty about if or when data would be deleted after expiration of the contract."

It's going to be a PR struggle to convince regular people that "personal" or personally directed services (VRM) style are different than general cloud services.. because I bet that Google would argue that Google apps are personally directed.. nothing happens unless the individual uses the services, from Google's perspective. But the individual's data  isn't controlled by the individual, VRM style.

So I think this will be the pivot point.. convincing the public, as well as the companies and governments, that it's not "personal" unless the individual controls their own data, not just the use of the product.  

And that struggle to be heard above the company's PR about what is VRM and what is not, what is "personal" and what is not, is key to this whole mess.

mary