Method for Ensuring Data Localization on an Ad Hoc Moving Data Network

A method operable by a first balloon in a balloon network, the method comprising:

• receiving at least a portion of geographically-restricted data when the first balloon enters a legally-defined geographic area;
• determining that the legally-defined geographic area has an area profile that identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area;
• determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area;
• and
• responsively removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in a computing device, cause that computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:

• determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area, wherein a balloon network provides service in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein an area profile identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area;
• determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data;
• determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area;
• and
• responsively removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the first balloon.

The computer-readable medium of 17, wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises the functions of:

• determining a direction in which the first balloon is travelling;
• based on the direction in which the first balloon is travelling, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area;
• and
• determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area, wherein a balloon network provides service in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein an area profile identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area;
• determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data;
• encrypting the geographically-sensitive data with an encryption key;
• determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area;
• and
• responsively removing the encryption key from the memory of the first balloon.