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Cloud Computing May Draw Government Action
snydeq brings us this excerpt from InfoWorld:
"Cloud computing will soon become an area of hot debate in Washington, as the increasing popularity of cloud-based services is putting pressure on policy makers to answer tough questions on the privacy and security of data in the cloud. For example: Who owns the data that consumers store on the network? Should law enforcement agencies have easier access to personal information in the cloud than data on a personal computer? Do government procurement regulations need to change to allow agencies to embrace cloud computing? So far, US courts have generally ruled that private data stored in the cloud doesn't enjoy the same level of protection from law enforcement searches that data stored on a personal computer does, said Ari Schwartz, COO of the Center for Democracy and Technology. 'I do think government has an almost infinite ability to screw up things when they can't see the future,' former Bill Clinton tech policy adviser Mike Nelson added. 'We have to have leadership that believes in empowering users and empowering citizens.'"
It's interesting that if I have a locker in a public place with a lock on it, I have a legal right to privacy. Yet, if I have an online storage account with a password ("lock"), it's fair game.
Lawyers, please enlighten me!
I love how those who supposedly have the people's best interests in mind, would rather worry about how easy it is for them to get their hands on my information as opposed to just protecting my information.
Shouldn't copyright laws apply? If you create something eligible for copyright, you automatically own it. It seems to me that the government is always looking for something new they can apply differnt laws to. Take spam, it's unsolicited advertising, but since its on the Internet, it must be different. </sarcasm>
"I refuse to believe that everybody refuses to believe the truth." -- Lisa Simpson
Want to find the person who coined this stupid term and burn his house down?
I record my sleeptalking
The article briefly mentions a survey on cloud computing released today by Pew Internet, which warns that "sloud users show high levels of concern when presented with scenarios in which companies might use their data for purposes users may or may not fully understand ahead of time. This suggests user worry over control of the information they store online." That includes using personal information for ad targeting.
Earlier this year Princeton University held a forum on cloud computing, which included an in-depth session of data ownership in the cloud and the issues it raises. It's available on YouTube in its 90-minute entirety.
RichM
Data Center Knowledge
Compute a cloud of goatse, that should get their attention.
Don't lawmakers and the courts usually love precedent? I expect we'll see data in the cloud afforded the same measure of privacy that things stored in my locker storage locker are afforded.
Ultimately, the decisions made by policy makers on this front may not be so important. I'd like to have a government that respects my privacy, but I can always encrypt anything I don't store locally. Right now this might be involve some inconvenience, but I don't think it will be long before convenient and fast encryption is available for data stored in the cloud.
Who owns the data that consumers store on the network?
The customers.
Should law enforcement agencies have easier access to personal information in the cloud than data on a personal computer?
No.
Do government procurement regulations need to change to allow agencies to embrace cloud computing?
Only if they pick the wrong answers for 1 and 2.
"Shouldn't copyright laws apply?"
You didn't get the memo, did you? People for the Liberation Of Other Peoples Ideas have finally succeeded and copyright has been abolished. You can now do whatever you want...unfortunately like all good ideas there's a downside. You can no longer claim copyright on ANYTHING you create.
Use that fun weapon known as encryption and then you can enjoy your right to privacy.
---- Liquid was a patriot ----
You know what they say, possession is 9/10ths of the law.
I fucking hate American politics.
Color me surprised. Honestly, what doesn't draw Government action?
What the hell, I'll go for this one.
The Clinton administration's opposition to encryption technology has made it vastly easier for governments to spy on their citizens, by slowing the adoption of encryption into core internet data communications.
Even John Ashcroft opposed their restrictions (though these days he has a different attitude towards government powers).
So spare me the crocodile tears.
If you want your data to be secure, you better own, host, store, and secure it yourself. No major corporation is going to protect you from governmental powers, and you really wouldn't want them to have that power. At least the government is theoretically accountable to you in some way.
As much as I like Google and Yahoo etc, you can't get the same kind of accountability from them you can from the local dogcatcher.
Expanding a vast wasteland since 1996.
supposedly republicans were to be a bunch that were for less govt. control.
EVERY goddamn thing they did in the last 8 years have been the EXACT opposite of this.
you definitely need democrats now. at least they are not psychopath as this bunch.
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..and also have a rental storage unit. They need a warrant to search either place technically, yes? Why should a computer at home or a rental computer some place else be any different?
Oh, I get it. It would be much tougher for government to get to an arrested political protester's files if first they have to go through Google's army of lawyers.
Ha, slashdot's captcha asked for such an appropriate word on submitting this comment: rodents
Surely the quote at the end of the summary isn't referring to Washington, D.C. "Leadership" is an interesting, if not paradoxical, word to describe what goes on there--especially with regard to technology issues.
I keep my money in a bank. What's different about keeping my data in a data bank?
let me put it this way :
you need to go to college. choices are A,B,C,D.
colleges C and D are way out of your budget.
College B, is too far away, and you would need to check up on your family every once in a while.
what do you choose ? you choose A.
so dont give me that crap about how one is bad, how other is also bad. life is a string of choices for the better among worst.
for now, democrats are better. at least their candidates show some decency.
however if you have any magical plan that may put an independent candidate to white house this fall, im ready to listen.
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unfortunately they dont have enough majority to push stuff in senate.
and with the ass whopping number of 'executive' authorities and orders bush had piled up thanks to 6 years of republican congress, i very much doubt that senate is that powerful anymore, be it republican or democrat.
someone needs to go into white house, clear all the 'executive' authorities that have been so vulgarly given by the rep senate, and therefore restore the plural rule in the country. that cant happen if you have a republican president vetoing everything that may decrease his authority in the white house.
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The true? You can't TAKE the truth.
Policy makers's skills lie in cutting deals, mostly for themselves. If you expect real intellectual heavy lifting (as you would expect in cases of privacy, human rights or Constitutional freedoms) you've come to the wrong circus. As for the police, I would trust them with all the power they say they need; if they were noble. But they aren't-they're human. Which is why they should be regarded with respect, and a good deal of suspicion.
Er...you want me to vote Republican?
Can't anyone come up something better? How about 'web software'? Jeez.
Actually, he has a good point. Any government rules restricting cloud computing would not withstand the test of time, and would get in the way of innovation.
Oh, you were just ranting about Bill Clinton instead of responding to his argument. Carry on then.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/12/campaign.wrap/index.html
Walters went on to press Palin's reformist credentials, noting McCain has served in Washington for more than two decades and asking repeatedly, "Who's she going to reform, you?
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you WILL get shot, regardless. your choice is getting shot in a manner that hurts less. thats the point.
and, i have to say, all these stuff against democrat candidates are wildly exaggerated.
obama is a world class candidate. if you dont want it, give him to eu. we appreciate talent here. dont also have fuckin' inclination to portray everything as equally bad.
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Republicans have strayed from their "less government" standpoint and are in bed with big business in general, but particularly resource-barron and credit industries.
Democrats, however, are not only doing what the republicans do, but are traditionally (and actually) in bed with hollywood.
You have two choices, strychnine or ricin...
Personally, I'm actually leaning toward the republicans simply because they have so many people they're already sold out to, they may not get around to giving their handouts to the anti-internet crowds.
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
all the horrible anti-internet moves came and approved during republican rule.
republicans care much less for protests, voter sentiment, approval from what i see. democrats on the other hand, are more sensitive.
even just remembering how dissent was treated dnc and how people's homes were raided during rnc, makes me shiver.
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For the benefit of the international readership: could you explain what F. D. I. C. is?
I recently priced up hosting and the Amazon cloud is MUCH more expensive and a pain in the ass compared to the cost of renting a dedicated server. The google cloud is braindead with little facility to do anything (apart from python which doesn't access sockets). Both clouds mentioned also don't provide relational DB access.
Compare that to the going rate of 1000 Euro per year for 1000GB access on a real 4GB/quad processor box and I don't see the attraction of the cloud. At all.
and why is this idiotic marketing term used so frequently on /.?
with the immense number of executive authority bestowing bills passed in the last 6 years, president's office now holds immense power.
putting a decent person in that office would be putting a key to locked door.
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I posted on this very subject a few days ago. Between the Stored Communications Act and recent court interpretations of expectation of privacy in the cloud, data stored in the cloud is in real trouble. Here is my post: http://blog.jamesurquhart.com/2008/09/cloud-computing-and-constitution.html