The interaction between technology and law and the uncertainties the legislative process can create should be taken into consideration by cloud computing users.

Legislators are rushing to keep up with ever changing technology, and sometimes the effect is the introduction of sweeping legislation that could impact cloud computing and other data storage strategies, i.e. SOPA and PIPA.

I’m in favor of copyright and intellectual property protections, but worry about the chilling effects of SOPA and PIPA in relation to cloud based computing platforms when there is the potential innocent users could lose data stored on targeted servers during enforcement actions.

The recent seizure of MegaUpload and its servers used by 180 million registered users by the feds is a clear indication that users of cloud-based technologies must conduct due diligence to ensure that their providers are keeping up to date with changes in the legal arena, especially when those servers are available for anyone to use and potentially “contaminate” with content that could lead to an intellectual property action and seizure of all data — legitimate and illegitimate.

On a side note, MegaUpload shows the feds have the power to order complete site shutdowns and seizures even without SOPA and PIPA.

Maybe the solution for business owners is to implement private cloud-based technologies?

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Technorati Tags: cloud computing, copyright, intellectual property, PIPA, SOPA

My wife’s computer is a netbook running Windows XP. She uses Windows Explorer. I’m running Windows Vista on my laptop and usually use Chrome. What looked good on my computer looked pretty horrible on my wife’s system.

I went back and tweaked my page making sure to look at it using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Opera. I might download Safari make sure it looks fine for people using Apple’s browser.

It’s a lesson to learn. I’ve been spoiled using WordPress through the years. I always assume plugging content into a CMS will look fine. However, assuming doesn’t make it reality, so it’s always a good idea to double check what a site might look like using various web browsers.

If I get really ambitious, I might attempt to make a mobile Northwest Indiana bankruptcy law website that will look nice for cell phone viewers.

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Technorati Tags: browsers, nwilaw.com, websites

Foreverwarm Consulting writes that a simple Firefox plugin Firesheep has made unprotected wifi usage more dangerous than ever because it allows users to spy on your internet data as well as use your connection.

Misuse of data send over open wifi connections happens all the time. Just think of how many people complain that someone has hacked into their email account. Part of the problem could be the use of unencrypted wifi to access email and Facebook accounts.

Websites could help solve the problem by adding encryption to their websites (a la the option to force https in GMail), but until Facebook, Yahoo and other sites offer use of secure servers, the second best option is to subscribe to a VPN, as well as adopt safe password practices, including not using the same password everywhere.

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Technorati Tags: encryption, Firesheep, internet, privacy, safety, VPN, wifi

While the fact that cell phones ping local towers is not unknown, what isn’t clear is what cell phone companies may be doing with the information they are gathering.

Writes Noam Cohen in the New York Times:

If the information is valuable to law enforcement, it could be lucrative for marketers. The major American cellphone providers declined to explain what exactly they collect and what they use it for.

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Technorati Tags: cell phones, marketing, privacy