Another one for the paranoid

[#1]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/07/04/eu_customer_cloud_data_may_be_handed_over_by_microsoft/

Quote

Cloud services allow internet users to store data online instead of locally. EU data protection laws state that organisations must tell people when they are asked to disclose their personal information. These EU provisions might conflict with obligations US-based firms, such as Microsoft, face under US law. The USA Patriot Act gives law enforcement authorities the right to access personal data held by US-based companies, regardless of where it is stored in the world. The Act also gives law enforcers the right to prevent firms informing the customer that they have had to hand over the information. The controversial law was established as an anti-terrorism tool. Microsoft is set to launch a new cloud service next week. It said it will allocate its customers a region where their information will be physically stored, but said it could not guarantee that it would tell EU customers' details if US authorities sought access to their data.

[#2]

I use dropbox, Bloody great and very helpful piece of software, I got an email from them a couple days ago, Update to T&C and Privacy policy. Good read here on the privacy policy...http://www.dropbox.com/privacy

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Your Stuff & Your Privacy By using our Services you may give us access to your information, files, and folders (together, “your stuff”). You retain ownership to your stuff. You are also solely responsible for your conduct, the content of your files and folders, and your communications with others while using the Services. We sometimes need your permission to do what you ask us to do with your stuff (for example, hosting, making public, or sharing your files). By submitting your stuff to the Services, you grant us (and those we work with to provide the Services) worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable rights to use, copy, distribute, prepare derivative works (such as translations or format conversions) of, perform, or publicly display that stuff to the extent reasonably necessary for the Service. This license is solely to enable us to technically administer, display, and operate the Services. You must ensure you have the rights you need to grant us that permission. How we use your stuff is also governed by the Dropbox Privacy Policy, which you acknowledge. You acknowledge that Dropbox has no obligation to monitor any information on the Services, even though we may do so. We are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, appropriateness, or legality of files, user posts, or any other information you may be able to access using the Services. We may disclose information about your account or your stuff to law enforcement officials as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

Needless to say I will continue to use their service.

[#3]

In my alter ego life as an author I have my characters regularly brewing up viruses, storing cocaine, placing semtex, thermite etc for a secret society while working from a secret tunnel system under London. I must remember to place my research notes and rough drafts on some of those exposed file storage systems. It is crazy really. No terrorist worth their salt would fall for leaving insecure data  on a commercial platform.

[#4]

Its things like this that make me wonder if... ah no, better not say it on a public forum   

[#5]

Oh c'mon okrzynska give us a clue? I've got blueprints on Dropbox to blow up the houses of parliament...2011 style