* Monday 11 February 2013 * i Jobs * Dating * Property * Shop The Independent Click here... Click here... * News * Voices * Sport * Tech * Life + Fashion o News o Features + Food & Drink o News o Reviews o Features o Recipes + Health & Families o Health News o Features o Healthy Living + History + Gadgets & Tech o News o Features + Motoring o Motoring News o Features o Road Tests o Motorcycling o Comment + Dating o Advice + Crosswords + Gaming + Competitions * Property * Arts & Ents * Travel * Money * IndyBest * Blogs * Student i Newspaper Horsemeat Gay Marriage Iraq: 10 years on Whitney Houston George Osborne Greece Michael Gove Click here... Click here... Technology > Life > Gadgets & Tech > News MPs call for Government to consider ending use of Cloud amid concerns that US authorities can access information Warning comes during a Whitehall drive for government departments to store their electronic information externally with private companies Rob Hastings Author Biography [Hastings.jpg] Rob Hastings Rob Hastings is a freelance journalist who writes for The Independent. He has also been published in The Guardian, The Times, the Financial Times and NME.com. More articles from this journalist Follow Rob Hastings Wednesday 30 January 2013 Tweet Print Your friend's email address ____________________ Your email address ____________________ Send Reset Note: We do not store your email address(es) but your IP address will be logged to prevent abuse of this feature. Please read our Legal Terms & Policies A A A Email [web-cloud-getty.jpg] [web-cloud-getty.jpg] Related articles * British internet users' personal information on major 'cloud' storage services can be spied upon routinely by US authorities Suggested Topics * Identity Cards * Social Media * USA * Liberal Democrat Party * Justice * Communications * Security * Law The Government should consider stopping sharing intelligence services with the US and end the use of Cloud computing due to concerns that sensitive personal information about British citizens can be spied upon by US authorities, MPs said today. The warning comes during a Whitehall drive for government departments to store their electronic information externally with private companies, meaning taxpayers’ private data could be left vulnerable to large-scale surveillance. US law allows American agencies to access all private information stored by foreign nationals with firms falling within Washington’s jurisdiction, if the information concerns US interests, without a warrant. Four suppliers of the UK Government’s G-Cloud system are located in the US, leading to questions over the security of information is being stored overseas. Tory MP David Davis told The Independent: “The Americans have got to remember who their allies are and who their enemies are.” Referring to an RAF base in Yorkshire which aids US intelligence services in intercepting communications, he added: “There are people like us who they rely on to provide them with listening stations, like Menwith Hill for example. Do they really want Parliament to start asking Government to limit what Menwith Hill can do? There are all sorts of possibilities if they carry on with this.” He warned that there is “a whole cascade of constitutional and privacy concerns for ordinary British people”. Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert said the revelations were “very alarming”. “I have a particular concern about UK government data,” he said. “If the Government starts to do more work on a cloud system - which is being looked at for obvious reasons - have we had assurance that the US government would not access such data as foreign intelligence information, and whether there would there have to be unambiguous consent of UK citizens? He added: “If the US will not give a clear assurance about government data then we will have to stop using the Cloud, as we cannot allow that to happen.” Mr Huppert, who has been a vocal critic of proposals for a UK surveillance law known as the ‘snooper’s charter’, continued: “A lot of people wouldn’t realise where data is stored, and hence wouldn’t expect to be subject to US law… The Government has a specific responsibility for personal data, and sensitive data can be stored offshore. There is a very sensible increase in the government use of cloud computing, there are excellent reasons for cloud services, however there are concerns around security and this highlights one of them.” The Cabinet Office is yet to respond to questions about the status of government data on Cloud services. Amendments renewed last month to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA, allow the US authorities to access files and information directly from within the Cloud centres holding it. Experts have warned that this renders data encryption protection useless, as this only defends information from being read while it is passing from the user to their cloud provider – once it reaches the cloud, it is unprotected. Nick Pickles, director of privacy and civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “It's clear that what this legislation permits surveillance that would be ruled unconstitutional if the US government tried to use these powers on its own citizens. “The reality is that every time a British person uses a cloud service, whether email, social media or online shopping, they are at risk of having their entire communications stored and analysed in a way that few people would argue is necessary or something that sets an example to the world that blanket surveillance should never be not the norm. “At a time of greater use of services like Google Docs by public authorities in the UK and the increasing volume of data that is stored on overseas servers, these powers are potentially giving the US agencies the ability to reach into personal information never available before without a court warrant.” Tweet Comments More in News » Independent Comment Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. blog comments powered by Disqus News in pictures World news in pictures Life & Style blogs Eating Disorders Week 2013: Advice and help on how to cope To coincide with Eating Disorders Week, Fenella Lemonsky offers readers advice on dealing with eatin... Secondary breast cancer: Awareness works I hear from people that they are sick of reading about cancer in the papers and surely everyone know... Decent broadband a major factor in choosing a home One fifth of people prepared to pay more for the same home if it had good broadband Please provide search keyword(s) ____________________ Go * Advanced Search * Article archive * Topics * Most Commented * Most Viewed * Most Shared * The ten best Valentine's Day gifts for men * The 10 Best men's accessories * Budgie-smuggling: You've been to the gym – well done. Do you want a medal? Middle-aged men and their sad self-regard * Hit: Jennifer Lawrence Wet-look hair was a cunning ploy on a wash-out of a night. Hollywood’s most normal woman was in pink Dior, with mirrored beads – she’ll be hoping it doesn’t fall apart, as it did at the Emmys BAFTA Awards fashion: Red Carpet verdict * The new BlackBerry operating system takes some getting used to - even for old BlackBerry users. A Week With: BlackBerry Z10 * 1 Quentin Tarantino's interview outburst tarnishes violent cinema * 2 An arachnophobe's worst nightmare? It’s 'raining spiders' in Brazil * 3 French meat food industrial factory, working on the production chain of beef steaks. A Europe-wide food fraud scandal over horsemeat sold as beef deepened as Romania announced an inquiry into the origin of the meat and suspicions of criminal activity mounted Horsemeat found in British supermarkets 'may be donkey' * 4 Taylor Swift 'I still love you': Taylor Swift fakes British accent to mock Harry Styles at the Grammys * 5 Actress Ellen DeGeneres looks at Katy Perry's sexy keyhold at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards In pictures: The stars who broke the 'no buttocks, breasts or thongs' rules at the Grammys Click here... Click here... Click here... Click here... SPONSORED FEATURES [yearofthesnake.jpg] The Year of the Snake Here's the Amoy guide to where London’s population of 100,000 Chinese eat, party, shop and live. New York State Visit York Holiday prize Prizes & offers Business videos [Balloon_s.jpg] Win a spectacular 10-day holiday to New York State This is your chance to win the New York State Adventure of a lifetime. Amoy Visit York Holiday prize Prizes & offers Business videos [york-spons.jpg] Win a five-star York break for two Enjoy a luxury two-day stay in gorgeous York, at the five-star Cedar Court Grand Hotel and Spa. Amoy New York State Holiday prize Prizes & offers Business videos [capitalusaspons.jpg] Win a fabulous 12-night US holiday for two Take the Great American Road trip across Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC Amoy New York State Visit York Prizes & offers Business videos [comps.jpg] Enter the latest Independent competitions Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page. Amoy New York State Visit York Holiday prize Business videos [IBM.jpg] Business videos from commercial thought leaders Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business. Amoy New York State Visit York Holiday prize Prizes & offers iJobs Job Widget iJobs Gadgets & Tech Developer - Contract - London - Financial Sector £500 - £550 per day: Real Staffing: 1. C# Developer required for a front-to-ba... PHP - Magento Developer - Manchester £220 - £260 per day: Real Staffing: Magento Developer -Cheshire- £220 - £260 p... .Net Windows Services Developer Negotiable: Computer Futures: *** C# / .Net / Windows Services Developer requi... PHP Developer £200 - £250 per annum: Computer Futures: PHP/javascript/HTML/CSS/ DeveloperPHP... View the latest IT, Tech and New Media jobs on iJobs. Day In a Page * Sun * Mon * Tue * Wed * Thu * Fri * Sat [11] [February_] [2013] (BUTTON) Go The 10 Best pushchairs The 10 Best pushchairs All-terrain tyres? MP3 enabled? Or just light enough to use on the bus? Find the most brilliant buggy from our selection Teens and divorce: The kids are not all right Teens and divorce: The kids are not all right As Chris Huhne now knows only too well, divorce can hurt teens just as much as children Extremely premature babies: 'We wondered if it was right to let him live' 'We wondered if it was right to let him live' The survival of extremely premature babies is a triumph of medicine. But for parents it can mean agonising decisions Life in plastic, it's fantastic: Meet Russia’s real-life Barbie girl Life in plastic, it's fantastic Ukraine’s real-life Barbie girl loves living in her Barbie world Benjamin Britten and the Ministry of Defence censors Benjamin Britten and the MOD censors Ministry of Defence 'said the composer was a pacifist and a deserter' John O’Farrell: The satirist who’s suddenly being taken seriously The satirist who’s suddenly being taken seriously Comedy writer John O’Farrell is hoping to succeed Chris Huhne as the MP for Eastleigh Rufus Hound: One man, two monikers Rufus Hound: One man, two monikers The comedian – aka Rob Simpson, to the mums at his son's school – has shaved off his trademark moustache for his (very funny) West End debut Please Please Me: Recreating the Beatles' first album Please Please Me: Recreating the Beatles' first album It cost £400, took less than 13 hours to record and changed pop music for ever. Paul Bignell reports on a brilliant initiative to mark its 50th anniversary Jada Sezer: 'I don't want to be a model. I want to be a role model' 'I don't want to be a model. I want to be a role model' This Friday, Jada Sezer, a comfortable size 16-18, fronts the first plus-size alternative to London Fashion Week's skinny-fest Middle-aged men and their sad self-regard Middle-aged men and their sad self-regard Orange permatanned chest? Too-perfect teeth? Hair transplants? Yuk! Matthew Bell prays he'll never fall victim to these 10 fashion crimes Jonathan Rendall, a wayward talent who laid himself bare in his writing A wayward talent who laid himself bare in his writing Jonathan Rendall was a boxing writer whose vivid, funny pieces helped establish The Independent on Sunday My funny Valentine: Do opposites really attract? My funny Valentine: Do opposites really attract? A mathematician for whom an artistic other half added up to a whole. A butcher whose meat is one veggie. A Labourite whipped into shape by a Tory. And a Christian who believes in an Atheist. 'I did debauch myself to achieve that look': Iggy Pop looks back to his iconic 1970s heyday Iggy Pop: 'I did debauch myself' Pop is rock music's wildest free spirit. In an exclusive interview, he discusses the iconic photos that made the legend. Costume drama: How Namibia's Herero tribe subverted the style diktats of their oppressors Costume drama: Namibia's Herero tribe The style conventions of their 19th-century German oppressors live on – albeit with a certain bovine-inspired twist... Tom Hanks returns to his first love - theatre Tom Hanks returns to his first love - theatre The movie star is the latest to swap screen for stage, as he heads to Broadway to play a journalist ind The Independent2 Derry Street London W8 5TT © independent.co.uk * Terms & Policies * Privacy Policy * Cookie policy * Code of Conduct * Complaint form * Email newsletters * RSS * Contact Us * Subscriptions * Apps * Work for us * Evening Standard * Homes & Property * iJobs * Advertising Guide * Syndication * Novaya Gazeta (English) * ES Business Connections * London Private Rentals Please provide search keyword(s) ____________________ Go * Advanced Search * Article archive * Topics © independent.co.uk Click here... Click here... Click here... Click here...