Privacy in the Cloud

You've probably heard a lot about "cloud computing,” the broad array of information, software applications, and services that are stored and accessed over the Internet rather than being stored on your computer.

If you already have, or are considering entrusting your data to a "cloud provider,” you need to know whether the provider's security and privacy protections will meet your needs.

Because of Microsoft's extensive experience building strong privacy protections into our service offerings, Microsoft can offer both guidance and privacy protections based on our underlying privacy principles.

Resources for governments

Privacy in the Cloud Computing Era
Read about what "cloud computing" means to consumers and Microsoft's perspective on cloud computing privacy, based on Microsoft's existing privacy principles.

Resources for businesses

Choosing a Cloud Computing Services Provider: Data Privacy and Security Questions for IT Professionals
Protecting the privacy of your organizational and customer data is a key deciding factor when evaluating vendors of cloud computing services.

Resources for individuals

Cloud Computing and Your Privacy
Before you share personal information using an online service, make sure the provider has a clear privacy policy and the tools to back it up.