Cloud computing can be used to do many things. Cloud computing software relies on the web for it to work. This means if using a feature like Goggle docs we have to rely on web applications to create and store the document. In addition, Cloud computing allows for easier collaboration. A good example of this is online education. Students from a variety of geographic areas and backgrounds are able to collaborate with each other. In addition, this requires faster computers to overcome some of the technical obstacles. Also, Cloud computing involves trusting your data to a third party to manage. Many IT departments do not like this idea. Many people fear that these third party providers could disclose the information for unauthorized purposes. As people and businesses take advantage of Internet-based services, they may well find trade secrets in the hands of competitors, private medical records made public and e-mail correspondence in the hands of government investigators without any prior notice, the report warns (Mahanta, 2009) . Although storing client and other information on the internet is not a new thing, in fact it has been done for many years before the term cloud computing was coined. Many people rely on cloud computing more and more everyday as we shift away from client/server architecture and toward a terminal/mainframe environment we will rely on the information that is stored in the cloud.
First, the information stored in cloud computing may not be as secure as storing these files on our home computer. This means this data is easily able to be obtained by law enforcement officials and lawyers they only need a subpoena (Does Cloud Computing Mean More Risks to Privacy?, 2009) . The only thing that an ISP or email provided can do is to inform the account holder before the information is turned over to the authorities. I believe this can be cleared up with some plain simple netiquette. Remember that anything posted on the internet in permanent. Be choosy about the type of information that you put out on the internet as well as the quantity of personal information that you post on the internet be aware that anything that you put out on the internet is not private.
Second, before using any SAAS or cloud computing option check the user agreement. Read it carefully as a lot of cloud computing services, for example Facebook retains the right to use your information for other purposes (Does Cloud Computing Mean More Risks to Privacy?, 2009) . Many times these user agreements are not specific about these issues, or it is buried among a host of other information. It is important to take time to read these agreements closely not just clicking I agree with no knowledge of what you have agree too.
Third, it is suggested that the United States has not grown to accommodate the growing issues that arise from internet usage. Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 has some very odd rules for e-mail. Messages you have not read are given more protection, for example, than messages you have (Does Cloud Computing Mean More Risks to Privacy?, 2009) .
Fourth, it is very important to respect the customers’ expectation of privacy. I would research a cloud computing service thoroughly before using it. Reading the fine details of the service agreement can be useful in deciding which cloud computing service you want to use. Many of them state in this agreement that they reserve the right to use your information. In addition, when using a cloud computing service I do not recommend outing mission critical data on any cloud computing function. I would also research other people in the same business you are and look at the cloud computing choices that they are using. I would use only reputable cloud computing services. I would not use a product for my customer’s information that I would not personally allow to handle my personal information. I would also recommend backing up the customer’s information on local servers. In addition, it is important to check the regulations on the privacy of a customer’s information for your industry. The regulation is called HIPPA for hospitals and other medical professions. Depending on your profession there may be regulations in place regarding privacy that should be reviewed before deciding on using a cloud computing service. Next, it is it important to check where the servers are housed for the cloud computing service you are considering. These servers could be located in another country where the privacy policy could be stricter or not very strict at all.
References
Does Cloud Computing Mean More Risks to Privacy? (2009, February 23). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from bits.blogs.nytimes.com: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/does-cloud-computing-mean-more-risks-to-privacy/
Mahanta, S. (2009, May 5). Privacy Concerns Arise As Digital Life Trends Toward Cloud Computing. Retrieved April 23, 2011, from www.pbs.org: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/science/jan-june09/cloudcomputing_05-05.html
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