Los Angeles Considering Move to Google-Provided Cloud C

[reghakr]

DATA PROTECTION & PRIVACY

(July 16 & 17, 2009)

The city of Los Angeles has proposed moving its government e-mail, police records and other information management to Google's cloud computing services. If the proposal is approved, Los Angeles will become the second US city, after Washington DC, to migrate data storage to Google's services. The plan has the mayor's support, but police officials have some concerns. Los Angeles Police Protective League president Paul Weber expressed concern about the security of data stored on Google systems. Last week, internal Twitter documents were accessed through Google Apps and leaked to the Internet.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-public-records17-2009jul17,0,5461479.story
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31967328/ns/technology_and_science-security/
http://www.govtech.com/gt/702712?topic=117673

[Editor's Note (Schultz):

I like Google, but Google should by no means be considered a leader when it comes to information security practices. Until Google achieves this reputation, users of Google's so-called (and misnamed) "cloud services" should not be very trusting concerning Google's email and file storage services. The city of Los Angeles should have heeded Paul Weber's word of caution.

 

[garysgold]

[Editor's Note (Schultz):

I like Google, but Google should by no means be considered a leader when it comes to information security practices. Until Google achieves this reputation, users of Google's so-called (and misnamed) "cloud services" should not be very trusting concerning Google's email and file storage services.

I agree. While this may be fun to play with it will be some time before it becomes a system I would do anything personal, private or important on.

Gary