Cloud Computing Law Specialization

Vast amounts of personal information are processed in the cloud. But who is legally responsible for such ‘personal data’ in cloud environments? What duties do cloud providers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have? And what rights can you, as an individual, exercise under data protection law? If you’d like to find out, then this course is for you!

First, we’ll look at how the European Union’s ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ (‘GDPR’) regulates the processing of personal data in cloud services. You’ll learn to identify controllers and processors, describe their roles and responsibilities, and understand how cloud customers and providers can comply in practice. Second, we’ll look at international transfers of personal data. We’ll explain how the GDPR can apply to cloud providers and their customers anywhere in the world, as well as how restrictions on international transfers apply to cloud services. Third, we’ll look at how the Network and Information Security (‘NIS’) Directive regulates the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure. You’ll learn to identify cloud providers’ duties to notify security breaches and to keep their services secure, and how to apply those duties to concrete case studies. In short, this course covers how the GDPR and NIS Directive apply to cloud services and what cloud providers and their customers should do to comply.

Have you ever wondered how a police officer in Europe can obtain evidence from a cloud provider in the USA? Or whether a major cloud provider might abuse its market power? Or in which countries cloud providers pay taxes? If so, then this course is for you!

First, we’ll look at how law enforcement agents can request access to cloud data, including data stored outside their borders. You’ll learn to advise cloud providers on responding to access requests and on dealing with potential conflicts with European Union (‘EU’) data protection law. Second, we’ll cover EU competition law, including how to define the relevant market for cloud services and to assess market power. You’ll learn to identify when cloud providers might be found to have entered into anti-competitive agreements, or to have abused a dominant position in a market. Third, we’ll look at how the income from cloud services is taxed. We’ll cover how such income is classified and which countries have the right to tax cloud providers. You’ll learn how tax principles apply to cloud services today, and how this might change in future. In short, we’ll cover how the rules of law enforcement access, competition law, and tax law apply to cloud services – and you’ll discover the practical steps that cloud providers can take to comply with their obligations.