The latest headlines in the ongoing surveillance soap opera focus on the revelation that the U.S. has been eavesdropping directly on German Prime Minister Angela Merkel. The reaction in Germany has been strong with many officials publically condemning the surveillance.
After the NSA’s activity first came to light, many in Europe called for stricter protection of EU data and privacy rights. But now, Merkel is calling for stronger Internet technology in Germany, specifically to address the fact all major data centers are in the U.S. and China.
It isn’t clear exactly how these latest developments will further impact German and other EU countries’ usage of U.S. cloud service providers. Germany already has some of the strictest data privacy regulations in the world. Known as BDSG, German regulations include restrictions on how personal information is collected, requiring explicit permission from individuals. BDSG also requires a more formalized structure for data transfers across the German border.