Data sovereignty is control over where data is stored, which laws govern it, who can access it, and how it may be used. The term combines technical, contractual, and legal questions.
What does data sovereignty cover?
- Storage location and the jurisdiction that applies.
- Access permissions for people, agents, vendors, and subprocessors.
- Retention, deletion, reuse, transfer, and export terms.
- Records of which systems accessed or changed the data.
How does it differ from privacy and ownership?
Privacy concerns the proper handling of personal data. Ownership concerns legal rights in data or content. Data sovereignty overlaps with both, while also addressing location, jurisdiction, access, and operational control.
How does Aran address data requirements?
Aran's onboarding maps the team's tools, data flows, and access needs. The deployment plan records scoped permissions and human approvals. Storage, retention, export, and deletion commitments depend on the final technical and contractual terms of each deployment.
Frequently asked questions
What is data sovereignty?
Data sovereignty is control over where data is stored, which laws govern it, who can access it, and how it may be used.
Is data sovereignty the same as data privacy?
Data privacy focuses on proper handling of personal data. Data sovereignty also covers storage location, jurisdiction, access, transfer, retention, and operational control.
What should a team document before deploying an AI agent?
Document the data the agent needs, its permitted actions, storage and vendor terms, retention and deletion rules, human approvals, and an audit path.