People are increasingly vigilant about the use of their personal data. However, some european companies still rely on the global cloud and digital giants for their video conferencing tools. So why choose a European videoconference?

Permeable foreign regulations

In order to deploy video conferencing solutions on a massive scale, european companies have turned to tools with a strong reputation. In their haste, they were less attentive to the criteria of localisation and protection of their data.

Many companies have thus opted for videoconferencing solutions whose hosting and data processing are carried out outside Europe. Their data is then subject to foreign regulations, particularly American, such as the Cloud Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act).

What is the Cloud Act?

This series of extraterritorial data processing laws was introduced in the US by Donald Trump. They allow for the unrestricted use of personal data of American and foreign citizens. Indeed, these laws oblige publishers and operators located on American territory to provide data relating to electronic communications (by subpoena or warrant). This obligation applies to all data, whether stored on servers in the US or abroad.

Video conferencing vendors subject to foreign laws may therefore be required to provide their users’ encryption keys at the request of the authorities. Personal data is thus recovered for various purposes.

European video conferencing means GDPR compliance?

The Cloud Act is in total opposition to the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Much more demanding, the GDPR firmly regulates the use and processing of data, whether by the publisher itself or by third parties.

A European video conferencing solution hosts all its data on European territory. It is GDPR compliant and respectful of the company’s data.

Tixeo, the European leader in secure video conferencing, is 100% compliant with the GDPR and goes even further. Software design and development are exclusively done in France, in-house, and its proprietary technology is not subject to foreign legislation. Tixeo’s servers are hosted in France and Tixeo only chooses sovereign and European cloud hosts. The goal? To prevent any risk of dependency on extra-European powers and to guarantee maximum data protection.

To combat espionage in video conferencing

In the current tense geopolitical context, it is important for european companies to be able to benefit from sovereign video conferencing tools. The latter are not subject to external powers and the risks of data leakage are lower. Moreover, the increase in cyber attacks throughout the world can jeopardise certain organisations. This is another reason, if any were needed, to protect your video conferencing communications.

Already in 2021, Renaud Ghia (CEO of Tixeo) co-signed an article alerting to the need for greater digital sovereignty.

Spying on audio and video communications is common but can be avoided. In its European video conferencing solution, Tixeo integrates true end-to-end encryption of communications (video/audio/data). A technology that offers absolute confidentiality of communications and true independence to companies. No backdoor can be used to access communications.

Choosing a European video conferencing means opting for better data protection thanks to the GDPR. This protection will be reinforced if the video conferencing solution has a high level of security.