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The cloud

Everyone these days is flying up to the cloud, for storage of files (dropbox, onedrive, etc). for transmission of information, for communication.  Yet, I am suspicious.  When posting information to one of these free or even private clouds, there is an organization behind the service, often a free service.  No service is in business to simply "give" to the client a valuable portal toward information transmission of any kind.

Once a file is up there on the cloud, someone has access, someone wants to know what you are doing, someone wishes to mine the information for advantage.  Someone wants to and needs to pay their electric bill.  Information must be exchanged for cash, influence, or other value. There is a consequence of payment, whether it be so benign as to determine products that may be of interest, to understand confidential aspects of your life, your family, your company, or your government.

Private servers are subject to hacking. Public servers are the same but with hacking a part of the mix. Basically, loading information to the cloud should be only that which you have no objection to serving to the world.  Email too!  This blog and all other are minded for commercial value, for political indications, and for religious aspirations.  Who knows what else.  Lists are made, and these lists are for sale.

We have abrogated our privacy for anonymity, for convenience, and for expedition. Most of us haven't a clue of the long term consequences of such massive exposure.  I sure don't.  Do you?
 

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