The tyranny of the web cloud

Jonathan Zittrain writes in the New York Times about the web’s future:

Earlier this month Google announced a new operating system called Chrome. It’s meant to transform personal computers and handheld devices into single-purpose windows to the Web. This is part of a larger trend: Chrome moves us further away from running code and storing our information on our own PCs toward doing everything online — also known as in “the cloud” — using whatever device is at hand.

Many people consider this development to be as sensible and inevitable as the move from answering machines to voicemail. With your stuff in the cloud, it’s not a catastrophe to lose your laptop, any more than losing your glasses would permanently destroy your vision. In addition, as more and more of our information is gathered from and shared with others — through Facebook, MySpace or Twitter — having it all online can make a lot of sense.

The cloud, however, comes with real dangers.

He’s absolutely right. Relying on any company to store all our personal information is foolish. For example, Google has assisted the Chinese regime in censoring its own search engine.

We trust any one firm at our peril.

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common