The challenges of government use of cloud services for public service delivery

Cloud services hold the promise of rendering public service delivery and back-office operations more effective and efficient, by providing ubiquitous, on-demand access to computing resources. Beyond the compelling cost economies, cloud technology is also a promising platform for open government, interagency cooperation, and government innovation. However, Kristina Irion (Central European University and University of Amsterdam) says that what looks like an ideal match actually raises a range of unresolved issues, and national governments are faced with legal risks that would contest national data sovereignty.