#TrustInTech

How you can get involved in rebuilding trust in the cloud

Cloud computing promises to transform the way we work and play, through increased computing power, scalable and always-on availability, enhanced security, and new and innovative services. But this promise will be realized only if all of us work together to enhance and ensure trust in the cloud. After all, people won’t use technology they don’t trust, a point emphasized by many trade associations, publications, and commentators.

Governments around the world, through the policies they adopt, have a key role to play in enhancing user trust. In a global world, governments can help improve trust by setting clear rules of the road on access to cloud content. As the New York Times noted with respect to the U.S., “Privacy protections clearly need to apply even in the age of cloud computing. That is why Congress must make sure that the law keeps up with the times.” The same is true of countries around the world. Please join us, along with others like the National Association of Manufacturers, IBM, Apple, Amazon, CNN and Fox News, in calling for government reform in this area. If you live in the U.S., please use our tool below to send a letter to your Congressperson and Senators asking them to co-sponsor and support the LEADS Act. And for those in other countries, please download a letter asking your government to support the Reform Government Surveillance principles.

Partners in the United States

Send a letter to your representatives in Congress:

I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor and become a champion of the Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad Act (LEADS Act; S. 512/H.R. 1174). The LEADS Act would position the U.S. as a leader when it comes to adopting sensible rules to govern U.S. law enforcement access to electronic communications and other documents stored overseas.

Currently, U.S. authorities are not only asserting the right to access records stored abroad without a search warrant, they also argue that other nations can assert the same right. Our legal system and federal law enforcement should discourage and prevent—not encourage—other nations from directly accessing data stored in the U.S. by American citizens.

The approach embodied in the LEADS Act was designed to enhance user trust in cloud computing by respecting national sovereignty, requiring law enforcement to live by the same rules they do in the physical world, improving long-established mechanisms for international cooperation, and empowering countries (including the U.S.) to provide strong privacy protections for their citizens’ cloud data.

Documents and data stored via cloud technologies deserve the same privacy protections as paper records and letters. By setting rules for U.S. cross-border data access, the LEADS Act will serve as a model for other nations in addressing this cross-border legal issue. The LEADS Act is essential legislation that will support American privacy and drive innovation in the cloud computing era. Again, please add your name to the growing list of co-sponsors. Thank you.