Privacy Risks and the Cloud in cloud Computing.
Cloud computing has significant implications for the privacy of personal information as well as for the confidentiality of business and governmental information. Any information stored locally on a computer can be stored in a cloud, including email, word processing documents, spreadsheets, videos, health records, photographs, tax or other financial information, business plans, PowerPoint presentations, accounting information, advertising cam- paigns, sales numbers, appointment calendars, address books, and more. The entire contents of a user’s storage device may be stored with a single cloud provider or with many cloud providers. Whenever an individual, a business, a government agency, or other entity shares information in the cloud, privacy or confidentiality questions may arise.
A user’s privacy and confidentiality risks vary significantly with the
terms of service and privacy policy established by the cloud provider. For
some types of information and some categories of cloud computing users,
privacy and confidentiality rights, obligations, and status may change when
a user discloses information to a cloud provider. Disclosure and remote stor-
age may have adverse consequences for the legal status of or protections for
personal or business information.
The location of information in the cloud may have significant effects on the privacy and confidentiality protections of information and on the privacy obligations of those who process or store the information. Information in the cloud may have more than one legal loca- tion at the same time, with differing legal consequences. Laws could oblige a cloud provider to examine user records for evidence of criminal activity and other matters. Legal uncertainties make it difficult to assess the status of information in the cloud as well as the privacy and confidentiality protections available to users.
