<p>Given the necessities of a post-9/11 world of international terrorism, feigning shock at the scope of the NSA interception program strikes many as political posturing. European voters may not fully understand the need for intelligence gathering, but their government leaders do. Similarly, threats to suspend trade talks with the United States seem hollow, given the realpolitik of world trade. Europe and America need each other—as trading partners, and as allies for peace and security. We may quarrel over the details, but dealmaking is in the interest of all parties.</p><br>
<p>The economic and technical logic of cloud computing, moreover, remains strong. Cloud computing offers businesses reduced cost, as cloud services require little capital and maintenance spending for users. The cloud provides increased storage capacity, and it eliminates the need for periodic technology upgrades. Cloud services can be acquired from multiple vendors, increasing flexibility and lowering costs through competition. And cloud computing is uniquely suited to mobile functions, the key to modern employee and customer networks. Against these benefits, the risks to privacy and data security have long seemed manageable burdens, not disqualifying flaws in cloud computing. The NSA leaks may heighten concerns in this area, but the thirst for cloud service cannot be quenched.</p><br>
<p>The notion that a &ldquo;European cloud&rdquo; will somehow oust American dominance in the field also ignores the facts. There is no assurance that Europe-only cloud systems––such as the French &ldquo;Sovereign Cloud&rdquo;––can avoid surveillance by either the NSA or by Europe&rsquo;s own governments. Such a balkanized system, moreover, could increase expense and technical burdens on users, negating the essential benefits of cloud service. EU-wide agreement on cloud security specifications has been a long time coming. Revisions to the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive have been under debate for nearly two years, with no agreed solution in sight. Attempts to include limits on national security data gathering––traditionally, not a subject for operation of the Directive––may only further mire the EU legislative process.</p><br>
<p>The NSA leaks certainly will have consequences. The revelations may foster development of new forms of cloud technology aimed at restricting unwanted spying on users. Encryption systems, for example, may give data users greater control over information stored in cloud networks. By encrypting data at the source point, before it goes to the cloud, the user may obtain greater assurance against government interception. Such systems, moreover, may naturally enhance security against other unwanted forms of hacking and organized criminal activity. Users may also choose more carefully what information they send to the cloud, and what they keep behind the firewalls of their individual servers.</p><br>
<p>Political fallout from the leaks may be severe. The fate of Edward Snowden––heroic whistleblower or traitorous man-without-a-country––remains to be determined. Inquests by the American Congress, the press, and various foreign governments no doubt will proceed. But to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of cloud computing have been greatly exaggerated.</p><br>
<p><strong>Keywords: </strong>woman advocate, litigation, cloud computing, PRISM, computer networks</p>