Cloud storage

The idea

Cloud storage means keeping files on servers owned by a provider and reached over the internet, rather than only on the local hard drive of one machine. The user's data is held remotely and synchronised, so the same files can be opened from a phone, a school computer or a home laptop once the user signs in. This links directly to the ethical, legal and environmental issues in this section. Ethically, users trust a company with personal data and must consider who can see it. Legally, data protection law places duties on organisations holding personal data. Environmentally, sharing one data centre can reduce the need for many local drives, but data centres consume large amounts of electricity for power and cooling. Privacy is the key concern: weak passwords, shared accounts or unclear provider policies can expose private files.

What earns the marks

• Defines cloud storage as data stored on remote servers owned or managed by a provider and accessed over the internet, rather than only on a local device.
• Explains a benefit such as access from multiple devices, automatic backup, easy sharing or reduced need for local storage hardware.
• Explains a drawback such as dependence on an internet connection, ongoing subscription cost, or loss of direct control over where data is held.
• Links the issue to privacy, for example that personal files are held by a third party and may be exposed by weak passwords or poor provider security.
• Links the issue to the environment, for example that centralised data centres use significant electricity for power and cooling, while shared storage can reduce duplication of local hardware.
• Recognises a legal dimension, such as the duty on organisations to protect personal data held in the cloud.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Thinking cloud storage means files float in the air or are stored on the user's own device.

  Put it right by explaining that files are held on physical servers in data centres owned by a provider.

• Assuming cloud storage is automatically private and secure.

  Put it right by noting that privacy depends on strong passwords, account settings and the provider's security.

• Claiming cloud storage has no environmental impact.

  Put it right by acknowledging that data centres consume large amounts of electricity for running and cooling servers.

Exam tips

• Read the question stem carefully to see whether it asks for a benefit, a drawback or a link to privacy, law or the environment, and answer that specific point.
• Use precise vocabulary such as remote servers, data centre and synchronisation rather than vague phrases like 'the internet'.
• When a question asks about impact on wider society, name the group affected, such as individual users, organisations or the environment, and say how.