Justice Department defends CLOUD Act, a controversial new data-storage law

(Worthy News) – Two Department of Justice officials defended the CLOUD Act, legislation buried in last week’s $1.3 trillion spending bill that could upend both the tech industry and a U.S. Supreme Court case.

Speaking Wednesday afternoon at the International Association of Privacy Professionals Conference in Washington, D.C., Justice Department representatives said the CLOUD Act will make it easier to collect evidence stored electronically in other countries.

The Cloud Act allows U.S. law enforcement at all levels — from local police to federal agents — to force tech companies to turn over user data even if it is stored on servers located outside the United States.

It also gives the executive branch the ability to negotiate one-on-one agreements with foreign governments permitting those nations to access user data stored in the United States. Under a reciprocity agreement, the U.S. could then get the data stored in that country as well. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

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