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US Unhappy With Australians Storing Data On Australian Shores

Fluffeh writes "The United States' global trade representative has strongly criticized a perceived preference on the part of large Australian organizations for hosting their data on-shore in Australia, claiming it created a significant trade barrier for U.S. technology firms. A number of U.S. companies had expressed concerns that various departments in the Australian Government, namely the Department of Defence had been sending negative messages about cloud providers based outside the country, implying that 'hosting data overseas, including in the United States, by definition entails greater risk and unduly exposes consumers to their data being scrutinized by foreign governments.' Recently, Acting Victorian Privacy Commissioner Anthony Bendall highlighted some of the privacy concerns with cloud computing, particularly in its use by the local government. He said the main problems were the lack of control over stored data and privacy, in overseas cloud service providers."

13 of 386 comments (clear)

  1. ERROR by Elbart · · Score: 5, Funny

    The irony-meter is off the charts. Or is this a late April-fools-article?

    1. Re:ERROR by fizzer06 · · Score: 5, Funny
      "our country is on a constant downward spiral into idiocy

      Yeah, I saw the documentary "Idiocracy".

    2. Re:ERROR by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 5, Funny

      With the lack of sleep last night my mind joined this headline with the previous one "Baboons Learn To Identify Words" as logically they seemed to go together. Sadly I don't think that relationship is too far from the truth upon further thought.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    3. Re:ERROR by Jumperalex · · Score: 5, Funny

      PROOF!!!!!

      " your Crayola sketched plans for world domination"

      I thought you said you didn't look at my data mr. AC

      --
      If you can't be good, be good at it!
    4. Re:ERROR by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, the US government is rightly concerned with the Australian government making spurious claims of security problems that harm legitimate competition for money from Australian companies, and is bringing up the issue with he Australian government, which is its job.

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      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    5. Re:ERROR by no0b · · Score: 3, Funny

      You have a future in politics my son.

  2. *cough* Megaupload *cough* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The hell you say! Saving data in your own country, so that foreign governments can't judge your citizens by their laws? That's crazy talk, I think you should have a serious conversation with my sponsor, the MPAA.

  3. You're kidding, right? by msobkow · · Score: 4, Funny

    Australia and New Zealand are notorious for having "pipe problems" due to the long-haul links they have to use, and the US expects them to have all their critical business data travelling those overloaded pipes for the convenience of US agencies and companies??!?!!?!

    So the convenience of American firms is now justification for slagging the sound and reasonable business practices of foreign nations?

    Navel gazing US again. If they navel gaze any closer they're going to find themselves eyeballing their own stomachs from the inside... :P

    --
    I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
  4. Predator Drone Strikes by Ukab+the+Great · · Score: 4, Funny

    on suspected members of Men-At-Work will soon follow.

  5. Victorian Privacy Commissioner by Black+Parrot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is that the person responsible for safeguarding Victoria's secret?

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  6. Re:a "sanity check" for everybody by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 3, Funny

    WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS??

    Grab your gun and bring the cat in.

  7. Re:LOLWUT??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The problem is that the Australian cloud servers are very slow, due to being filled to near-capacity AND their bandwith almost completely maxed out from local (Australian) viewing, uploading, and downloading of Kangaroo porn.

  8. New Business Model for the US Gov't by FreakerSFX · · Score: 3, Funny

    They should offer data restores from the NSA for a price...

    * Accidentally delete an email? Just call the NSA and we'll send you a copy of it.

    --
    This sig contains a manual self-destruct. Kindly please put your foot through your monitor in 8 seconds.