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Global compliance

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How can my online (non-financial) services marketplace cross international borders legally? Or do individual countries have requirements for such services (e.g. server localization, data residency, etc.)? I expect many organizations have answered these questions before, so I'd prefer to leverage existing knowledge vs reinvent the wheel! Thanks

asked 20 days ago27 views
2 Answers
1

Afraid this is not the responsibility of AWS. This is down to how you interrupt the legalities of each country and applicable laws for your own company and how you hold and process data

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EXPERT
answered 20 days ago
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reviewed 19 days ago
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Expanding an online services marketplace across international borders requires careful consideration of various legal and compliance requirements, particularly regarding data handling and storage. Many countries and regions have their own laws governing how companies must handle customers' sensitive data, and compliance in one region does not guarantee compliance in another.

One of the key considerations for global expansion is data residency requirements. Some countries mandate that certain types of data, especially customer data, must remain within their borders. This means you may need to store and process data in specific geographic locations to comply with local regulations.

To address these challenges, you have several options:

  1. Multi-Region Deployment: You can deploy your infrastructure in multiple AWS Regions to meet data residency requirements. This allows you to store and process data within specific countries' borders as required by local laws.

  2. Data Privacy Vaults: Solutions like Skyflow Data Privacy Vault can help isolate, protect, and govern sensitive data while facilitating region-specific compliance through data localization. This approach allows you to store sensitive data in specific geographic locations and perform all workflows involving that data within the chosen region.

  3. Selective Data Storage: Depending on the specific regulations, you may be able to deploy only the data storage components to the required region, rather than replicating your entire infrastructure.

  4. AWS Services: Utilize AWS services that offer multi-region functionality, such as Multi-Region Access Points in Amazon S3, global tables in DynamoDB, or Aurora global databases. These services can help you manage data across different regions while maintaining compliance.

  5. Account Strategy: Consider adopting an appropriate AWS account strategy and landing zone approach. This might involve separating workloads into different accounts based on geographical or regulatory requirements.

  6. Compliance Assessment: Thoroughly assess the specific compliance requirements for each country you plan to operate in. Requirements can vary significantly between jurisdictions.

  7. Data Classification: Evaluate your data and classify it according to sensitivity and regulatory requirements. This will help you determine which data needs special handling or localization.

Remember that implementing a multi-region strategy can be complex and may not be necessary for all workloads. It's important to carefully evaluate your specific needs and the regulatory landscape of your target markets.

By leveraging existing knowledge and best practices, such as those provided by AWS and other global companies, you can navigate these challenges more effectively. However, given the complexity and potential legal implications, it's advisable to consult with legal experts specializing in international data protection laws to ensure full compliance in each jurisdiction you plan to operate in.
Sources
How to Scale for Global SaaS Growth with a Skyflow Data Privacy Vault on AWS | AWS Partner Network (APN) Blog
Best Practice 5.3 – Assess the need for specific security controls for your SAP workloads - SAP Lens
REL10-BP02 Select the appropriate locations for your multi-location deployment - AWS Well-Architected Framework
REL10-BP02 Select the appropriate locations for your multi-location deployment - AWS Well-Architected Framework
REL10-BP02 Select the appropriate locations for your multi-location deployment - AWS Well-Architected Framework (2022-03-31)

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answered 20 days ago
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EXPERT
reviewed 20 days ago
  • Thanks, this confirms my high level understanding, but how do I get the country by country detailed requirements globally without having to spend $ on legal advice? The answers exist, it should be available somewhere (and not confidential or a trade secret). Thanks

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