7 ms·

So let's say I launch TrackMyEatingHabits.com. If a user that happens to live in the UK signs up, they can send me a request for all of their data and I have t

So let's say I launch TrackMyEatingHabits.com. If a user that happens to live in the UK signs up, they can send me a request for all of their data and I have to comply, right? So this means that when I design the software for TrackMyEatingHabits.com, I should also be mindful to have a process (and data model) that makes it easy to locate this user data quickly, right? Also, I should have in place processes to verify the identify of the requester too, right? Or alternatively, I can just limit my market to the U.S.

Loic 15y ago
If you are a US company operating a US website, you are not bound to the EU law in that regard. But if you launch trackwhatever.[EU top level domain] to better target these markets, you may need a EU address to get the domain. In that case, you may need to comply with the EU law.
- justincormack 15y ago
  Its not mainly about TLDs, it is about whether you have an EU operating company, like Facebook does, or if you store any personal data in the EU.
gradschool 15y ago
Yes, please do that (limiting your market to the U.S.).
- pestaa 15y ago
  Excuse me, there are a couple of entire continents getting tired of that! Or should I assume you talked out of the same frustration?
  - _delirium 15y ago
    I was guessing it was a joke from the perspective of a European startup--- they'd love it if all U.S. startups ignored Europe.
rmc 15y ago
No, probably not. Usually you only have to abide by a countries laws if your server are based there, or you have a company incorporated there. If you have a US company with servers hosted in the US, acbd an EU citizen uses it, and claims you are breaking their laws, then there its nothing the courts in that country can do to make you abide them. To put it another way, are you worried if your US company breaks Chinese censorship laws? That's illegal in China. Are you worried if your company denies that the Holocaust happened? That's illegal in Germany. You only need to abide by laws in the country you are in. Unless you have a EU server you don't have to abide by EU laws.
- zatara 15y ago
  Does this apply to patents as well?
  - rmc 15y ago
    Not sure. Almost all countries respect each others copyrights, that's why if a work is copyrighted in the UK, then it is copyrighted in Brasil (that's the Geneve Convention I think). I'm not sure about patents, especially when it comes to things like software patents. Ask your lawyer.
    - Someone 15y ago
      I think you mean Berne: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Literary_and_Artistic_Works http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protec.... The Geneva conventions are about victims of war.
- tonfa 15y ago
  Like most legal matter it's a bit more complex than that. As far as I know, you can be targeted by foreign laws with a .com domain, and servers physically in the US. If you specifically target/advertize (e.g. with translated interfaces) your services to EU citizens, a judge might decide that EU laws apply to you.
  - 15y ago
ma2rten 15y ago
I work for a european social network. I helped make a self service page, where users can view their info. However, we only some basic the information that is easily accessible for us in our databases. So far no one send request for all their access log data, but that would mean, that we would have to go though billions of entries. Actually not a lot of people request their information anyway. It's sill better then the software patent situtation in the use.
sschueller 15y ago
Facebook's legal headquarters are in Ireland for tax reasons (12.5%) so they have to comply with EU law. (http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=59042 http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=59042)

Loic 15y ago

If you are a US company operating a US website, you are not bound to the EU law in that regard. But if you launch trackwhatever.[EU top level domain] to better target these markets, you may need a EU address to get the domain. In that case, you may need to comply with the EU law.

justincormack 15y ago
Its not mainly about TLDs, it is about whether you have an EU operating company, like Facebook does, or if you store any personal data in the EU.

gradschool 15y ago

Yes, please do that (limiting your market to the U.S.).

pestaa 15y ago
Excuse me, there are a couple of entire continents getting tired of that! Or should I assume you talked out of the same frustration?
- _delirium 15y ago
  I was guessing it was a joke from the perspective of a European startup--- they'd love it if all U.S. startups ignored Europe.

rmc 15y ago

No, probably not. Usually you only have to abide by a countries laws if your server are based there, or you have a company incorporated there. If you have a US company with servers hosted in the US, acbd an EU citizen uses it, and claims you are breaking their laws, then there its nothing the courts in that country can do to make you abide them. To put it another way, are you worried if your US company breaks Chinese censorship laws? That's illegal in China. Are you worried if your company denies that the Holocaust happened? That's illegal in Germany. You only need to abide by laws in the country you are in. Unless you have a EU server you don't have to abide by EU laws.

zatara 15y ago
Does this apply to patents as well?
- rmc 15y ago
  Not sure. Almost all countries respect each others copyrights, that's why if a work is copyrighted in the UK, then it is copyrighted in Brasil (that's the Geneve Convention I think). I'm not sure about patents, especially when it comes to things like software patents. Ask your lawyer.
  - Someone 15y ago
    I think you mean Berne: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Literary_and_Artistic_Works http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protec.... The Geneva conventions are about victims of war.
tonfa 15y ago
Like most legal matter it's a bit more complex than that. As far as I know, you can be targeted by foreign laws with a .com domain, and servers physically in the US. If you specifically target/advertize (e.g. with translated interfaces) your services to EU citizens, a judge might decide that EU laws apply to you.
- 15y ago

ma2rten 15y ago

I work for a european social network. I helped make a self service page, where users can view their info. However, we only some basic the information that is easily accessible for us in our databases. So far no one send request for all their access log data, but that would mean, that we would have to go though billions of entries. Actually not a lot of people request their information anyway. It's sill better then the software patent situtation in the use.

sschueller 15y ago

Facebook's legal headquarters are in Ireland for tax reasons (12.5%) so they have to comply with EU law. (http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=59042 http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=59042)