The US CLOUD Act and your video calls
The US CLOUD Act (2018) lets US authorities require US-based companies to hand over data they control, even when it is stored outside the US. So if your video tool is run by a US company, EU hosting alone may not keep call data out of reach. An EU vendor with EU hosting lowers that risk.
What the law says, in one line
A US company must provide data in its “possession, custody or control” when served a valid US order, wherever that data is stored.
Why this matters for video calls
Video calls with customers can include faces, ID documents, health details or money matters. Recordings and chat logs can last for years. If the vendor is a US company, that data could fall under a US order.
Which tools does it affect?
Any tool run by a US-headquartered company or a company with a US parent. That includes Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Jitsi’s hosted service (owned by 8x8). EU data residency options from these vendors reduce some risks, but they do not change where the company is based.
How to lower the risk
- Choose a vendor based in the EU with no US parent.
- Choose EU hosting.
- Keep recordings in storage you control, and turn recording on only when needed.
FaceWithMe is made by AUVIOUS LTD in Cyprus, hosted in Brussels, and sends recordings to your own storage.
This is general information, not legal advice.