American judges to decide if Microsoft should hand over data stored outside the U.S.

A test case in cloud computing is emerging with the dispute between Microsoft and the U.S over whether American prosecutors can gain access to emails stored on servers in Ireland. Microsoft warns that handing over the data could lead to infringements on privacy rights. Microsoft’s current president Brad Smith argues that ‘the future of the Internet, privacy, respect for borders and public safety’ is at stake. The U.S. government points at the challenges posed by cloud computing for law enforcement, as digital evidence abroad is more difficult to access.