Fears Over NSA Surveillance Revelations Endanger US Cloud Computing Industry

Cloud computing allows users to share tech capabilities, such as storing data or trying software over the internet or individual servers, yet reports about intrusive surveillance programs may scare away customers. News reports allege that US tech companies comply with government requests for customer data with minimal checks and balances. “A survey by the US-based Cloud Security Alliance, quoted by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) found that American companies which offer file storage and computing in cloud systems – so they can be stored and accessed anywhere in the world – are gloomy about the effects of the Guardian's revelations of the extent of US government snooping and data gathering through projects such as Prism and Xkeyscore,” reports Charles Arthur for the Guardian. More than half the survey respondents outside the US said they would be “less likely” to work with a US firm; more than one third of US respondents anticipate more difficulty in doing business outside the United States. – YaleGlobal