Microsoft just announced a radical new plan to safeguard its European customers from US spying. It is shaking up its structure and will be opening up new data centers in Germany to make customer data completely out of reach of US jurisdiction, The Verge reported.
The data centers will be completed by 2016 and will be under the management of German company Deutsche Telekom. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, "These new data centre regions will enable customers to use the full power of Microsoft's cloud in Germany [...] and ensure that a German company retains control of the data."
Microsoft, along with other tech companies, have strengthened security for foreign-held data in the wake of the Snowden leaks. The move is similar to Apple's encryption efforts to try and regain trust from millions of European customers who now view American tech companies with suspicion.
Apple has increased its encryption on its newer devices and have publicly announced that even they cannot break into their own devices. Microsoft's physical move to Germany is, however, the biggest indicator that tech companies themselves cannot completely protect users against the government.
Timotheus Höttges, Deutsche Telekom CEO, said he is confident the shift will be successful. ARS Technica quoted him saying, "Microsoft is pioneering a new, unique, solution for customers in Germany and Europe. Now, customers who want local control of their data combined with Microsoft's cloud services have a new option, and I anticipate it will be rapidly adopted."
The German company will act as a data trustee. This means that after Microsoft builds the required structures for their data centers, authority over them is given to Deutsche Telekom. Microsoft employees will not have access to the data.
No one knows yet for sure if the move will actually keep spies out. However, if successful, it may provide a ripple effect that will change the tech landscape of the world. If customers find security in the move, then it may set a new standard for other cloud services by Google, Amazon, and Oracle, Financial Times noted.
The move may also embolden European authorities from further US intrusion. Just last month, the EU Court of Justice ruled against the safe harbor treaty which allows US companies to import data from Europe back to America.
