CLOUD Act Extends US Jurisdiction Over Global Cloud Data Across Microsoft, Google, and Amazon

That Frankfurt data center storing your business files or the Singapore server holding your personal photos may not be as secure from U.S. oversight as you think. If the provider is Microsoft, Amazon, Google, or another U.S.-based tech giant, physical geography does little to shield information once American authorities seek access. The Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act, enacted in March 2018, gives U.S. law enforcement broad authority to demand data from American companies no matter where that information is located. Many organizations and individuals who once assumed that hosting data in Europe or Asia provided protection from U.S. jurisdiction now face an overlooked vulnerability.  

The law applies to every major cloud provider headquartered in the United States, including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Apple, Meta, and Salesforce. This means data hosted in Microsoft’s European facilities, Google’s Asian networks, or Amazon’s servers in regions worldwide can be accessed through proper legal orders. An organization running Office 365 in London or an individual storing iCloud photos in Berlin could have their data obtained by U.S. investigators with little visibility into the process. Even companies promoting themselves as “foreign hosted” may not be immune if they have American subsidiaries or offices. Jurisdiction extends to entities connected to the United States, meaning that promises of sovereignty can be undercut by corporate structure. 

The framework obligates companies to comply quic

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