What if the Cloud disappears

What if the Cloud disappears?

This week Google lost power resulting in users not being able to access G-mail and other Google services for a period of time.   Internet traffic was down 14%.   This got me thinking.  What if the cloud just disappeared?   Then, what?

As more businesses turn to cloud computing for efficiency and functionality, and all major players rushing into the cloud computing sphere, there are still a number of unanswered legal and practical questions that will need to be addressed prior to the explosion of cloud computing.   Privacy and security implications will be fundamental elements of user’s trusting the “cloud.”  Otherwise, the “cloud” will evaporate.

It will be necessary for policy leaders to address a number of vital questions.  Who has access to a user’s data?   Can a user’s data be bought and sold?  Can a host deny access to a customer’s date?  What happens if the host company goes out of business, what happens to a user’s data?  How does the host protect and secure your data?  What legal standards apply?  Is it the American standard of privacy protection applicable in the “cloud” or the European model?  Both, neither?  Perhaps, we need a privacy code of conduct for the “cloud”?

Cloud computing has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about computing.  It is efficient, cheap and in a connected world extraordinarily practical.  But it will only succeed if the” cloud” remains protected and secure.  Power outages will happen—think of a winter storm shutting out the lights.  Users will expect interruption in services from time to time.  But what users will not accept is an unrestricted trade-off of privacy for practicality.  Privacy implications will need to be addressed to allow for safe usage and the ultimate growth of the cloud.  Otherwise cloud computing will just be an abnormality in the sky on a bright, sunny day.