Impact of EU data protection laws on cloud computing: capturing cloud-computing challenges and fault lines

The global nature of cloud computing has resulted in emerging challenges, such as clashes between legal systems, cultural differences, and business practice norms: cloud-computing is at the forefront of recognising, and "smoothing over," emergent differences between nation states as we move towards a more globally connected world. This chapter uses the emergent differences over regulation governing data protection; as the world becomes more interconnected, we are likely to see more examples of technology practices and models sweeping around the globe, and raising further areas for clashes between nations and regions, much like the fault lines between tectonic plates. This chapter provides contribution by capturing some emergent "fault lines" in an in-depth case study comparing the evolving EU directives covering data protection and how they relate to non-EU data protection legal systems. This provides the foundations to consider cloud-computing challenges, inform policymakers in measures to resolve "clashes," and in informing researchers investigating other global technology phenomena.