The end of the digital peace dividend: Why the NSA surveillance leaks could cost U.S. firms billions
It’s long been theorized that the U.S. stands to lose the most from a cyberwar. We have the most technology, and our economy relies more on that technology than any other nation on earth, so we are the most vulnerable. The continuing controversy swirling around the National Security Agency and electronic surveillance is starting to prove this theory — and it’s going to be a costly battle.
If you were making decisions for a foreign company, would you trust Google or Microsoft with your data, knowing what you now know about Prism and other NSA surveillance programs? Using Gmail or Hotmail now seems akin to cc’ing Uncle Sam on every note. How will that impact U.S. tech companies overseas?
According to an estimate by The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, fear of NSA prying will cost U.S. cloud computing providers between $22-$35 billion during the next three years.