The Federal Trade Commission is taking a look at cloud providers’ business practices, asking the public for comments.
Cloud computing is becoming increasingly important across industries, impacting Americans in almost every aspect of their lives. As a result, there is growing concern about the security risks involved, the cost, and the antitrust implications.
As a result, the FTC wants the public’s input on cloud providers’ practices:
The staff of the Federal Trade Commission is inviting public comments about the practices of Cloud Computing Providers and their impact on end users, customers, companies, and other businesses across the economy. FTC staff is studying a wide array of issues related to market power, business practices affecting competition, and potential security risks. Staff is also interested in cloud computing with respect to specific industries, including but not limited to healthcare, finance, transportation, eCommerce, and defense. For these specific sectors or more broadly, are there particular market dynamics shaping business practices that affect competition and consumer protection in cloud computing services? If so, what influences are shaping these market dynamics?
Those wanting to contribute can read the entire FTC’s brief here…