Ok here's a short simple rundown on the future of cloud storage/cloud computing. The idea right now is to move music storage (the music you download from iTunes, amazon, etc) from the current state of having a physical copy on your hard drive/mobile device to simply attaining the rights to use it via streaming, like Netflix. Right now this is in the incubation period and some services like Amazon music are trying it. Essentially what happens is that you still pay for the song or album but you do not get any physical copy of the file, instead you are granted the rights to stream said music onto your device via the internet at any time.
For some this might sound like a great idea, you save space on your device for other things like pictures and video and don't have to worry about the need to delete the file at any time or move it to a new device in the future or to others like your laptop/desktop. One problem with this is of course connectivity, what if you are in an area that has low or no wireless internet signal? Then you can't access your content until you return into range again. Again for some, not a big deal just a minor inconvenience. But this isn't looking at the big picture, if everyone adopts cloud storage and opts out of using their hard drives then it will become the dominant form of storage, right? Wrong, it is going to be the dominant form of storage whether we adopt it or not. The idea is to move ALL data from storage on our own hard drives to the ultra secure servers of the cloud service.
A few years from now computers, laptops, phones, iPods, everything will no longer be shipped with any sort of hard drive or physical memory storage device, not even a processor. The only thing they will really even need is a screen, and a wireless internet connection. All data will be housed off site and streamed to your device. This will cut down on resource usage, production cost, product cost to consumer and will be likely hailed by the media as the wave of the future. What this really means for us is, data control. Every document we type, program we use, video or picture we take, song we listen to, movie we see, and search we query will be seen, monitored and executed by big brother. Privacy will be a thing of the past, net neutrality a dream never realized. Cloud storage is in fact an internet police state. Not only will they have the ability to cut you off from any data via caps on bandwidth but also just by a click, disconnected instantly. It is important to note that the Echelon program of the NSA does already monitor every communication in America and the world including but not limited to: Text messages, phone calls, emails, chat messages, video calls etc. However cloud storage puts these programs in direct control of your data and your ability to communicate.
Another interesting point is that with all of your machines lacking the capability to store data in the near future and all of their data being stored in the cloud, guess what? You get to pay extra for cloud storage every month! Hooray! They've invented a new system to make even more money from the average consumer, you will pay for internet access in your home, an internet data plan on your phone and a likely combined bundle for cloud storage from all of your devices monthly. Whats even more is there will be data caps on your bandwidth so you may not over use your data and likely overage charges for storing too much data on your cloud storage plan. Wow isn't the future great?
Now it might not be all that bad, sure you can log in to any interface anywhere and instantly have your profile loaded with all your settings and programs and songs and the like but think what that means. Your entire life is on the net, available for any prying eyes to view, including the government. Sure, you might say "I have nothing to hide, so what?" well laws are getting more strict regarding the internet already, right under our noses. Something you might think now has no ill effect might get you thrown into prison in the future. There are already lawsuits regarding misuse of Twitter accounts and false Facebook profiles, what's to say that your angry tweet or Facebook status wont get a slander suit hurled at you, or make you lose your job? (And people have lost their jobs already via FB and Tweets). Those are things that are already public and cloud stored, but if all of your documents are stored off of your machines they then can be pulled and viewed at any time without permission provided by the Patriot Act. Those are at this time just possibilities but if you haven't been paying attention, life in America is taking a different and dark twist as the days move forward but it is colored brightly and sugar coated while the world is on fire with protests and civil wars for similar abuses of power.
I know the title of this blog is "Just say No..." and I've said we will not have a choice in the matter, but as information is still readily available it is possible for us to keep physical storage units for the future. And being in a technically inclined society someone will find a way to port cloud data to back up on physical drives, so stay vigilant when the time comes.
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