Norway ends nine-month ban on Google Apps use
After nine months of deliberations and some changes on Google's side, the Norwegian Data Protection Authority lifted a ban on the use of Google Apps by municipalities. However, the decision does not give city authorities carte blanche to use all cloud services, according to the Norwegian Data Protection Commissioner.
The use of Google Apps was banned in January by the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, which is known to keep a short leash on use of technology from U.S. IT companies, because the cloud application was violating Norwegian privacy law.
One of the main issues is that local governments that use services like Google Apps have no idea where in the world their data is stored and who is able to access it, the authority said at the time. If Google or other international companies wish to offer cloud computing services to Norwegian enterprises, they need to develop services that take Norwegian and European data protection legislation into consideration, the authority said.
