105
© The Author(s) 2021
T. Lynn et al. (eds.), Data Privacy and Trust in Cloud Computing,
Palgrave Studies in Digital Business & Enabling Technologies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54660-1_6
CHAPTER 6
Ethics and Cloud Computing
Brid Murphy and Marta Rocchi
Abstract While the benefits of cloud computing are widely acknowledged, it raises a range of ethical concerns. The extant cloud computing
literature reports specific ethical perspectives on focussed topics in this
domain, but does not explicitly refer to a specific ethical conception or
reference point. This chapter provides an overview of ethics and ethical
theories, which can be used to analyse the use of cloud technology and the
complex multi-stakeholder structure of the industry. It is critical that
cloud providers and users recognise that they effectively shape the morality of the cloud computing context through their interactions with other
providers and users, and with the platform itself. Both stakeholder sets
must be accountable for the possibilities offered by the technology. While
pertinent regulation is continuously evolving, it is unlikely to advance at a
B. Murphy (*)
DCU Business School, Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University,
Dublin, Ireland
e-mail: brid.murphy@dcu.ie
M. Rocchi
DCU Business School, Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University,
Dublin, Ireland
e-mail: marta.rocchi@dcu.ie
© The Author(s) 2021
T. Lynn et al. (eds.), Data Privacy and Trust in Cloud Computing,
Palgrave Studies in Digital Business & Enabling Technologies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54660-1_6
CHAPTER 6
Ethics and Cloud Computing
Brid Murphy and Marta Rocchi
Abstract While the benefits of cloud computing are widely acknowledged, it raises a range of ethical concerns. The extant cloud computing
literature reports specific ethical perspectives on focussed topics in this
domain, but does not explicitly refer to a specific ethical conception or
reference point. This chapter provides an overview of ethics and ethical
theories, which can be used to analyse the use of cloud technology and the
complex multi-stakeholder structure of the industry. It is critical that
cloud providers and users recognise that they effectively shape the morality of the cloud computing context through their interactions with other
providers and users, and with the platform itself. Both stakeholder sets
must be accountable for the possibilities offered by the technology. While
pertinent regulation is continuously evolving, it is unlikely to advance at a
B. Murphy (*)
DCU Business School, Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University,
Dublin, Ireland
e-mail: brid.murphy@dcu.ie
M. Rocchi
DCU Business School, Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University,
Dublin, Ireland
e-mail: marta.rocchi@dcu.ie