Cloud can enhance privacy

Speaking at iapp's privacy umbrella of Cloud computing conference in Sydney, Timothy Pilgrim said while many have claimed Cloud computing poses a threat to privacy, there is seldom a focus on the benefits of the technology.

The potential to be privacy disabling

"It's commonly accepted that Cloud computing has the potential to be privacy disabling and not privacy enabling," Pilgrim said. "Many of the privacy issues identified around Cloud computing already exist, however the challenge lies around how best to mitigate them."

"There are some significant changes coming up in the Privacy Act and there is an opportunity for everyone to get involved in changes," he said. "Some of the advantages that Cloud computing offers...are also very attractive to government agencies as well as the private sector."

While Pilgrim echoed industry concerns that Cloud computing poses control issues for IT mangers, he said there is a shift towards storage at a local level.

The privacy act at the minimum

"When it comes to using it for handling customer information it's essential that business comply with the privacy act at the minimum," Pilgrim said. "Get privacy right from the start so that customers can benefit from the technology you have to offer."