Data regionalization is complicated by actual data sovereignty issues. Microsoft France's director highlighted concerns about US access to data stored in the EU. To mitigate European unease, Microsoft offers a Cloud for Sovereignty service with legal assurances against US intervention. However, skepticism remains regarding these guarantees. The concept of sovereignty becomes paradoxical since true sovereignty may not be achievable when international dealings dilute power, thus questioning the effectiveness of data borders. Actual control over data can be compromised by legal demands from countries.
Microsoft's strategy to pacify EU data sovereignty unease has been to offer a special Cloud for Sovereignty service girded with special contractual promises.
The trouble with data sovereignty is that of sovereignty itself. The word is a powerful concept that's easy to grasp, thus ideal as a tool to persuade and motivate.
If one sovereign state wants to deal with another, then both have to accept a pragmatic dilution of individual power in the greater interest.
If that someone else can be compelled by law to let someone you don't like turn up with a big USB drive and a writ, you do not have data sovereignty.
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