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ARTICLE · 10 MARCH 2013

Privacy laws are affecting Australia’s cloud industry

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A lack of clarity in Australia's privacy laws may hinder Australia's prospects of becoming a data centre-hub in Asia.

AustraliaPrivacy
James North
James North
Daniel Thompson
Daniel Thompson
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A lack of clarity in Australia's privacy laws may hinder Australia's prospects of becoming a data centre-hub in Asia. Cloud providers frequently find it difficult to determine their obligations under the Privacy Act. Resolving this uncertainty now will put Australia in a better position to capture a slice of the global cloud computing industry.

As global technology heavyweights target Asia for deployment of data centre infrastructure, the contest for best jurisdiction is heating up.

Compared to front-runner Singapore, Australia is at a disadvantage as a potential data-hub thanks to high telecommunications costs and its location on Asia's periphery, which results in higher network latency when servicing the Asian market.

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