A workshop by Princeton University`s Center for Information Technology Policy brings together experts from computer science, law, politics and industry to explore the social and policy implications of `computing in the cloud`. 

1 - Introduction			low	low
			high	high
2 - Possession and ownership of data			low	low
			high	high
3 - Security and risk in the cloud			low	low
			high	high
4 - Princeton research			low	low
			high	high
5 - Civics in the cloud			low	low
			high	high
6 - What`s next?			low	low
			high	high

For access to broadcast-quality mpeg2 file, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

(Jan 14-15, 2008 at Princeton University`s Center for Information Technology Policy.  Conference sponsored by Microsoft)

“Computing in the cloud” is one name for services that run in a Web browser and store information in a provider’s data center — ranging from adaptations of familiar tools such as email and personal finance to new offerings such as virtual worlds and social networks.

Day 1 - Introductions:  David Robinson, H. Vincent Poor, Ed Felten

Panel 1: Possession and ownership of data
In cloud computing, a provider’s data center holds information that would more traditionally have been stored on the end user’s computer. How does this impact user privacy? To what extent do users “own” this data, and what obligations do the service providers have? What obligations should they have? Does moving the data to the provider’s data center improve security or endanger it?

• Moderator: Ed Felten, Director, CITP
• Joel Reidenberg, (home page), Professor of Law, Fordham University
• Timothy B. Lee, blogger at Technology Liberation Front and adjunct scholar, Cato Institute
• Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center

Panel 2: Security and risk in the cloud
How does the move to centralized services affect the security and reliability of users’ interactions with technology? What new threats are likely to emerge? How might provider behavior, user behavior, or government policy need to change in response to those threats? How does the “open source” ethos work in a cloud computing environment?

• Moderator: Alex Halderman, CITP
• Marc Hedlund, founder and chief product officer, Wesabe.com
• Mihai Christodorescu (home page), researcher at IBM TJ Watson Research Center
• Benjamin Mako Hill — researcher at MIT Media Lab and Free Software Foundation

Day 2 - Princeton research and discussion by Harlan Yu, Princeton University Computer Science Graduate Student

Panel 3: Civics in the cloud
How and where can cloud computing best improve public knowledge and engagement in political issues? What has been achieved so far? What is possible in the long run? What moves by private actors, and what policy changes, might do the most to harness the power of cloud computing for civic engagement?

• Moderator: David Robinson — Associate Director, CITP
• Josh Tauberer (home page), founder of Govtrack.us
• Andrew Page, associate director, MAPLight.org
• John Wonderlich, Program Director, Sunlight Foundation

Panel 4: What’s next?
What new services might develop, and how will today’s services evolve? How well will cloud computing be likely to serve users, companies, investors, government, and the public over the longer run? Which social and policy problems will get worse due to cloud computing, and which will get better?

• Moderator: Andrea LaPaugh (home page) — Professor of Computer Science, Princeton University
• Reihan Salam — The Atlantic Monthly
• Jesse Robbins — O’Reilly Radar
• Jonathan Rochelle — Google