Cloud Computing and the Patriot Act: A Red Herring?

The 2012 International Association of Privacy Professionals Canada Symposium has just wrapped up. I had the pleasure of giving a presentation on cloud computing and the USA PATRIOT Act with Lindsey Finch, the Senior Global Privacy Counsel with salesforce.com. Our presentation is here:

Cloud Computing and the Patriot Act: A Red Herring?

Cloud computing is revolutionizing the information technology industry by providing cost savings, flexibility and innovation. But many Canadian companies are concerned that use of cloud computing services may cause them to violate Canadian privacy laws, particularly because of potential non-Canadian government access to data stored in the cloud. Join our expert panel as they address persistent Canadian myths regarding cloud computing and privacy, discuss how cloud computing services can be used in compliance with Canadian privacy laws and the real impact of the Patriot Act, and provide tips to use during RFP cycles and contractual negotiations.

Lindsey Finch, CIPP/US, Senior Global Privacy Counsel, salesforce.com
David T.S. Fraser, Partner, McInnes Cooper, Halifax

What you’ll take away:

• Learn how to manage privacy risk and legal compliance in cloud computing decisions, including both public and private sector privacy laws
• Understand the similarities and differences between U.S. and Canadian government powers to access data in the course of a terrorism investigation and how the two governments share data to assist each other in such investigations
• Learn when Canadian privacy law permits the transfer of personal information outside of country for processing purposes
• Leave with a checklist, based on established best practices, to facilitate decisions about moving information to the cloud and a checklist to use in a RFP or contract with a cloud provider

Most of the other conference presentations are here.