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FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Hearing on Digital Data Stored Abroad and Privacy Rights

Original title: DATA STORED ABROAD: ENSURING LAWFUL ACCESS AND PRIVACY PROTECTION IN THE DIGITAL ERA

January 1, 2018

digital privacy international law law enforcement data storage cybersecurity

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing explores how government agencies can access digital evidence stored overseas, which directly impacts the balance between individual privacy rights and the ability of law enforcement to investigate international crimes and terror plots.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

U.S. Technology Companies

These companies must navigate conflicting legal requirements from the U.S. and foreign governments regarding data access.

Law Enforcement Agencies

These agencies face challenges in obtaining digital evidence for investigations when data is stored in foreign jurisdictions.

General Public

The outcome of these policy discussions impacts the privacy protections afforded to personal digital information stored online.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This House Judiciary Committee hearing examined the legal challenges of accessing digital data stored in foreign countries. Lawmakers and experts discussed the tension between U.S. privacy laws, the needs of law enforcement to investigate crimes, and the requirements placed on U.S. technology companies operating internationally.

Why It Matters

Key Facts

The hearing took place on June 15, 2017, before the House Committee on the Judiciary.
The committee examined conflicts between U.S. law and foreign laws regarding data access.
U.S. technology companies are currently caught between U.S. privacy restrictions and foreign government demands for data.
Some foreign governments are enacting legislation requiring U.S. companies to comply with local data requests as a condition of doing business.
The hearing included testimony from the Department of Justice, international security advisors, technology companies, and legal experts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it difficult for governments to get digital data stored in other countries?

U.S. laws often restrict access to data by foreign governments, and foreign laws may conflict with U.S. privacy protections, creating a legal stalemate for technology companies.

Who testified at this hearing?

Witnesses included representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, the UK government, Google, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the University of Kentucky College of Law.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

International Data Sovereignty

The hearing highlights a shift where foreign nations are creating their own laws to force U.S. tech companies to provide data, bypassing traditional international legal cooperation.

U.S. Department of Justice Google

Connected Entities

personJohn Conyers, Jr.“Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee”Map →

personBob Goodlatte“Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee”Map →

personRichard Downing“Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice”Map →

organizationTennessee Bureau of Investigation“Represented by Special Agent Richard Littlehale”Map →

personPaddy McGuinness“UK Deputy National Security Advisor”Map →

organizationGoogle“Represented by Richard Salgado, Director of Law Enforcement and Information Secu”Map →

organizationCenter for Democracy and Technology“Represented by Chris Calabrese”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance75
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy60
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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