Why the social media privacy dilemma is a cloud centralisation issue - CUDOS

Anxieties about cloud technology largely revolve around data security and privacy protection. In the past, hyperscale centralised cloud service providers have been accused of inadequate security measures, which have eroded trust between users and providers. Social media platforms (SMPs) have come under similar criticisms, with the Cambridge Analytica scandal representing one such case recently. A less often-discussed factor in all this is the relationship between SMPs and centralised service providers. Many SMPs rely on hyperscale cloud providers for data storage, including recognisable companies such as Netflix. The union of social media and centralised cloud service potentially complicates efforts towards customer data protection on SMPs.

The problem

Cloud storage enables SMPs to meet customer demand for efficient interaction and information storage. However, such capacities incur certain risks, such as deliberately exposing customers’ data to third parties for targeted marketing or political purposes. More worrisome perhaps is the lack of transparency and accountability, which naturally characterises centralised systems. Both SMPs and cloud service providers operate without meaningful oversight respecting data access and usage. The unique sensitivity of customer data on social media makes this an even more disturbing reality. In truth, the entire business model of social media companies and centralised cloud service providers is built on customers’ trust, despite both repeatedly violating that trust.

The alternative

Information asymmetry between SMPs and users is the issue at the heart of the privacy dilemma. A straightforward solution to this problem is for SMPs to support decentralised cloud service providers. A decentralised cloud offers the prospect of a more transparent and accountable ecosystem. This would preclude the possibility of auctioning users’ data as the blockchain definitively prevents any information asymmetry between users. Projects like Cudos seek to create a more democratic peer-peer ecosystem that precisely fulfils this need. The marriage between social media and centralised cloud service is effectively a recurring disaster. Instead, a decentralised cloud ecosystem offers a unique and practical solution.

How can we make a difference together?

There are numerous ways for you to help us address this situation. You can contribute to a safer, more ethical and democratic cloud market by working with us.

We need data centers and cloud service providers situated globally. You can contact us now, and we can see how we can collaborate.

Lastly, if you already have your CUDOS tokens, you can make the most of them by staking them on our platform and securing our network.

Together, we can create a cloud computing ecosystem that is decentralised, transparent, and accountable!

About CUDO Compute

CUDO Compute is a fairer cloud computing platform for everyone. It provides access to distributed resources by leveraging underutilised computing globally on idle data centre hardware. It allows users to deploy virtual machines on the world’s first democratised cloud platform, finding the optimal resources in the ideal location at the best price.

CUDO Compute aims to democratise the public cloud by delivering a more sustainable economic, environmental, and societal model for computing by empowering businesses and individuals to monetise unused resources.

Our platform allows organisations and developers to deploy, run and scale based on demands without the constraints of centralised cloud environments. As a result, we realise significant availability, proximity and cost benefits for customers by simplifying their access to a broader pool of high-powered computing and distributed resources at the edge.