Do You Trust The Cloud?

As a technological enthusiast, I love the cloud and everything about it.

However I also understand the possible security concerns felt by many (including my parents).

The idea of a ‘cloud’ has existed for decades; however, it wasn’t until Google CEO Eric Schmidt talked about integrating ‘cloud computing’ into its services back in August of 2006, and when Apple released ‘iCloud’ in Oct of 2011, that the whole technological world was turned upside down by its concept. Questions like, ‘Should we trust the cloud?’ and ‘Is the cloud even secure?’ arose.

Let’s start with what the cloud actually is. No, it’s not a physical cloud in the sky (we aren't that advanced yet). It’s basically information that is transferred from your electronically powered device to a network of servers.

There are plenty of servers to run different types of things, such as servers for hosting applications or servers to store data, and so on. Whether you trust the cloud or not, chances are you most probably use it every single day, with much of your information being stored in a server in a large warehouse located on the other side of the world.

I can say that my parents, especially my mother, tells me that the cloud “shouldn’t be trusted” every time I mention it. It’s true that the cloud isn’t impervious to attack. In 2014, there was a major Apple iCloud hack targeting celebrities and their photos stored on Apple’s cloud based services. Boy, did Apple cop a backlash from that breach; at the very least, it was a wake-up call to all services that use cloud based computing, to up their game and provide a service that can ensure costumers that their data is secure.

If you, like my parents, are so anti-cloud, let me ask you a couple of questions. Have you ever sent an email using Gmail, Yahoo or Microsoft Office? Have you ever used any form of 21st century social media, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or even WhatsApp? Have you ever signed up for an account such as Google or Microsoft or used Apple’s services such as iMessage (the blue text bubble), or played a game such as Clash of Clans or Boom Beach? Well, if you answered yes to any of those questions, congratulations: you have already used a cloud service.

Where do you think all those emails are stored when they are sent? Where do you think all the photos you post on Instagram or the photos you text someone on messenger are stored? They live in the cloud, with all the information syncing in real time, thanks to servers located across the globe.

So yes, in my opinion, I do think that you should trust the ‘cloud’ mainly because companies are now doing their best to encrypt your data securely. To be frank, unless you’re going to disconnect yourself from the world, you are bound to use some type of cloud service one way or another, and as the world moves on, you need to adapt.

What do you think? Do you trust the cloud?

Congratulations to Nicholas for winning this writing challenge, answering: Do You Trust The Cloud? Nicholas wins a $50 Westfield gift card for his submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!