[HCoop-Discuss] Draft data confidentiality policies

[Nathan Kennedy]

Steve Taylor wrote:
> This is off-the-wall but is there any feasibility, security, advantage
> in storing the information on an out-of-country location, like Tech
> Coop in Vancouver?
>   
If you mean "can we evade attempts by American authorities to get to 
confidential information by putting it offshore" then the simple answer 
is not really.

There is of course an open question of whether it might be harder to 
illicitly intercept or gather information illegally if it is stored in 
an overseas jurisdiction.  That may be the case, but it is not testable, 
and certainly should not be a driving factor in our purchasing 
decisions.  Reasons to favor the Tech Coop or Canadian firms (of which 
Peer 1 is one, I might add) may exist independently.  In any event all 
of our information is likely to flow through American pipes at some 
point anyway.

As long as we are an American corporation doing business in America, if 
any American authorities seek out our data through legal means they can 
get it from us even if we store it offshore.  If anything storing things 
in different countries provides opportunities for influence from more 
jurisdictions.  However there are also other advantages to globally 
distributing information as well, in terms of redundancy and diversity 
that can be be balanced against this.

-ntk