Big Idea: The cloud isn’t magic — it has trade-offs.

Benefits:

• Scalability → add/remove resources instantly.
• Cost savings → pay for what you use.
• Accessibility → available anywhere, any device.
• Innovation → AI, big data, IoT built on cloud platforms.

Risks:

• Security: Data breaches, insider threats, misconfigurations.
• Reliance: Vendor lock-in; if your provider fails, your business stalls.
• Privacy: Sensitive data stored outside your control.
• Piracy: Cloud storage sometimes used to share copyrighted material.

Ethics:

• Who “owns” your data in the cloud?
• Should cloud providers be liable if your data is lost or leaked?
• Access equity: does cloud widen the digital divide (those with vs. without reliable internet)?

Key Takeaway: The cloud is powerful but raises big cybersecurity, economic, and ethical questions.