August 6th, 2025 by admin
In today’s digital-first world, organizations across Europe rely on video conferencing and streaming platforms for critical communications — from board meetings to court sessions, from academic lectures to healthcare consultations.
And while many services claim to offer “European hosting”, there’s a growing risk that often goes unspoken: your data may still be subject to foreign laws and jurisdictions, even when stored in EU data centers.
Let’s unpack why “hosted in Europe” isn’t the same as “controlled in Europe”, and why that distinction is essential if your organization values privacy, compliance, and digital independence.
? The Illusion of Safety: Hosted ? Controlled
Many mainstream platforms — including cloud video recording and conferencing services — offer EU-hosted data options. At first glance, that sounds like GDPR compliance and peace of mind. But there’s a catch.
If the provider is a US-based company (or a European subsidiary of one), your data is still likely subject to US laws like:
- The CLOUD Act (2018) – Allows US authorities to compel US tech companies to hand over data, even if it’s stored overseas.
- FISA Section 702 – Enables intelligence collection on non-US persons outside the US without a warrant.
In short: Even if your recordings never leave Europe, they may still be accessible to US agencies — with or without your knowledge.
The GDPR Conflict
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is designed to protect EU citizens’ data and privacy. But in light of U.S. surveillance laws, several EU bodies — including the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) — have raised alarms.
In fact, in the landmark Schrems II ruling, the EU Court of Justice invalidated the Privacy Shield framework precisely because it couldn’t protect EU data from US surveillance.
If your provider is legally bound to both GDPR and the CLOUD Act, whose laws do they follow?
What True Digital Sovereignty Looks Like
At REC.VC, we believe European organizations deserve more than vague reassurances. That’s why we provide:
? Hosting in Europe — Your video recordings and streams are stored on servers located in Europe.
? Control in Europe — REC.VC is operated and governed under Norwegian jurisdiction, fully independent from US Big Tech.
? Compliance-First Architecture — Built to meet GDPR, HIPAA, MiFID II, HITECH, and PIPEDA standards.
? No Vendor Lock-In — We work seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, SIP/H.323 systems, and more — without forcing you into proprietary ecosystems.
For U.S. Organizations: Local Hosting, Global Trust
We also support organizations in North America with fully US-hosted instances, ensuring regional compliance with HIPAA, HITECH, and local regulations — while still offering the same high standards of privacy and control.
Why It Matters Now
In a hybrid world, video recordings are not just temporary communications — they’re long-lived digital records. From legal compliance to intellectual property protection, where and how your videos are stored has long-term implications.
Don’t just ask where your data is hosted — ask who controls it.
Take Back Control With REC.VC
Whether you’re a public sector agency, healthcare provider, financial institution, or multinational enterprise — REC.VC gives you a trusted, flexible, and compliant platform for video recording and streaming.
? Start your free 14-day trial today
Sources & References
Posted in Privacy Tagged with: CLOUD Act, europe, gdpr, hipaa
In 2025, video meetings are everywhere—but so is the data they leave behind.
As privacy regulations tighten and public trust erodes, organizations are increasingly scrutinizing how video platforms handle metadata, user information, and session content. While most tools advertise encryption and compliance, few disclose just how much metadata they collect—or where that data is stored.
For security-conscious teams, the real question is no longer “Is it encrypted?” but “What does the provider know about us—and what do they retain?”
Below, we examine five of the most widely used video platforms in 2025 through the lens of privacy and data minimization.
1. Zoom
- Data Profile: Stores call metadata, IP addresses, device details, duration, user interactions
- Privacy Features: End-to-end encryption (opt-in), waiting rooms, meeting locks
- Deployment: Cloud (U.S.-based infrastructure)
Zoom has improved its transparency since early privacy criticisms in 2020, but it remains a data-heavy platform. Even in encrypted meetings, Zoom collects extensive metadata including device info, network details, participant names, and engagement levels. For many organizations, the trade-off between usability and data visibility is an ongoing concern.
2. Microsoft Teams
- Data Profile: Deep integration with Microsoft Graph means all user actions, messages, and meeting data are indexed
- Privacy Features: Conditional access, data retention policies, compliance admin center
- Deployment: Cloud (with EU data boundary options), hybrid
Microsoft Teams offers strong admin tools and compliance dashboards, but its deep integration into the Microsoft 365 suite comes with extensive telemetry. User behavior, file access, and communication patterns are continuously logged and available to IT administrators and, in some regions, to Microsoft’s cloud analytics services. For some, that’s a feature—for others, a red flag.
3. Cisco Webex Suite
- Data Profile: Meeting metadata, usage logs, IP addresses, diagnostic and support logs
- Privacy Features: E2EE v2, optional on-prem hosting, granular policy control
- Deployment: Cloud, hybrid, on-prem
Webex offers one of the most privacy-configurable environments—especially with on-prem options—but out of the box, its cloud service collects a standard set of telemetry, diagnostic logs, and user activity data. While this can be minimized by configuration, most deployments still retain considerable metadata for compliance and analytics purposes.
4. by.Video
- Data Profile: No account, no cookies, no stored metadata—meetings are peer-to-peer and ephemeral
- Privacy Features: End-to-end encryption, no server-side logging, consent-first workflows
- Deployment: Cloud (privacy-focused European infrastructure)
by.Video takes a radically different approach: it doesn’t just encrypt sessions—it forgets they ever happened. Built on a privacy-by-design architecture, it collects no personally identifiable information, stores no session metadata, and requires no login or download. Every meeting exists only in the moment, making it ideal for professionals handling sensitive or regulated conversations who want true digital confidentiality. by.Video complies with GDPR and HIPAA.
5. Google Meet
- Data Profile: Integrated with Google Workspace logs, stores meeting times, participants, calendar data, device/browser info
- Privacy Features: Encrypted by default, secure participant controls, access management
- Deployment: Cloud (U.S. and EU regions depending on plan)
Google Meet is fast and convenient, especially for Workspace users—but it comes with deep integration into the broader Google ecosystem. Calendar metadata, user behavior, and cross-app signals feed into organizational analytics and admin dashboards. While that may improve productivity, it can also conflict with strict privacy or data sovereignty requirements.
Final Thoughts
Most video platforms today prioritize performance and productivity—but often at the cost of privacy. Session metadata, usage patterns, device details, and user identity are routinely logged, stored, and analyzed.
For teams where confidentiality is mission-critical, tools like by.Video represent a return to basics: encrypted communication with no lasting footprint.
Posted in Privacy, Security Tagged with: gdpr, hipaa, privacy