BERLIN (AP) — Microsoft says it will use data centers inside Germany to store German customers' data amid ongoing concerns over privacy.
European consumers, rights groups and lawmakers have expressed concern about what U.S.-based companies share with American authorities ever since Edward Snowden leaked details of U.S. online surveillance two years ago.
Microsoft's chief executive says centers in Magdeburg and Frankfurt will host data for users of the company's cloud services, such as Office 365.
Satya Nadella said at a presentation in Berlin on Wednesday that "these data centers will ensure that customers' data remains in Germany and that a German company controls access to data in accordance with German law."
Microsoft sees cloud services as an opportunity for significant future growth as sales of its flagship operating system decline.
