FTC Worries About Consumers, Cloud Data, and Privacy

pcause writes "Ars Techina has a nice article about the FTC's concern that consumers don't understand the implications of storing their data in the cloud. From the article: 'Data is now sitting on servers outside of your control, where it can be accessed far more easily by Google itself, hackers, and law enforcement than it ever could if kept within the device. Once data passes over the network, it gets much easier to access in realtime; once it is stored on a remote server, it gets much easier to access at any time. And those are just the phone settings. Google also has access to search history data, anything stored in Google Docs or Spreadsheets, complete schedules stored in Google Calendar, and recent Maps searches. Combine them all, and companies like Google become one-stop shops for authorities looking for personal information.' Do you think the average consumer even has a clue about this issue?"

Comments

A public well is easily poisoned

[HangingChad]

so the net change is that you'll have a harder time telling you've been snooped on

It's also easier to hide things you don't want to be seen. GMail can turn over your emails, but if they're encrypted, even with something simple, it will be harder to make it useful. How many secret messages I have hidden in the pictures I email around or post online? Who has the resources to check every one?

Searches can be masked using TOR and private browsing. Again, not bullet proof, but it doesn't have to be. Just enough to poison the data and make it unreliable. Go buy a pre-paid phone with cash and take the battery out of your regular cell phone at random intervals. You're not trying to create a smoke screen, just sow doubt.

That's if you're worried about it.

Law enforcement may think search data and social media information is some kind of lucky charm, but it's pretty easy to spoil that data, leave false trails and really easy to hide things. If they gain confidence catching stupid people, all the better for those with a little clue.

I'm starting to feel old.

[starbugs]

With our lives stored on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. does today's younger generation even appreciate/want privacy?

Everyone knows who your friends are, what movies you like, that your cereal this morning looked like a smiley-face until your dog knocked it over.

Is our view of privacy outdated?

Two rules

[Jenming]

Backup your important data.
Encrypt your sensitive data.

These two steps are as important and effective with the cloud as they are with any other form of storage.

Re:Cloud data already used against me...

[mwvdlee]

I assume the attorney lost his bar?
If your story is true, there is just no way that any attorney could survive this.