The right government policies offer sunny outlook for cloud computing

But what remains open to question is whether the entrepreneurs behind the next web sensation earn their billionaire status in Beijing, Bangkok, Bangalore - or another bustling center of innovation?

The reality is that the answer to this question, and to a large degree the future of cloud computing, rests in the hands of those responsible for making our laws.   For without the optimal national cloud computing legal framework, even the savviest web entrepreneurs will struggle to optimize the power of the cloud. 

We recently unveiled a global study designed to help policy makers optimize the laws they create for cloud computing.  The Business Software Alliance Global Cloud Computing Scorecard looks at seven key areas that need attention from lawmakers: data privacy, security, cybercrime, intellectual property rights, support for industry-led standards and international harmonization of rules, promotion of free trade, ICT readiness and broadband deployment.

With optimal laws in these seven areas, countries give their citizens a head start in harnessing the power of cloud computing.  And while web entrepreneurs tend to get the most attention, the fact is that SMEs will be amongst the greatest beneficiaries of cloud computing.  The cloud will allow SMEs to draw on computing power in a way that in the past only organizations of much greater size and scope were able to do.

Thailand’s current set of government policies on cloud computing are mixed with some strengths and some areas for improvement.  According to the Scorecard, Thailand was given high marks for its laws related to e-commerce and electronic signatures, but fared less well on laws related data privacy and, intellectual property protection.

The good news is that Thailand’s policy makers can legislate the optimal legal framework into place now - while cloud computing is still in its early stages.  Given the way cloud computing will generate economic growth, create good jobs and stimulate the knowledge economy, we believe that the leaders in Thailand’s ICT Ministry understand just what is at stake.

It was 8 years ago that Facebook was founded, as we all know, in a dorm on Harvard’s campus.  We are confident that a few years from now, cloud computing will have spawned the next great tech company.  But it is up to policy makers to decide whether or not they will create a legal foundation to help make the next Facebook happen within their borders or elsewhere.

(The Business Software Alliance Global Cloud Computing Scorecard was shared with policy makers in Thailand and is available at bsa.org.  Roger Somerville is the BSA Senior Director, Government and Policy in APAC. Varunee Ratchatapattanakul is the BSA Spokesperson in Thailand.)

For more information: http://portal.bsa.org/cloudscorecard2012/