Top executives at firms that include Dell, IBM and Xerox, gathered in Washington, D.C. this week under the auspices of the Technology CEO Council.  The core message was that the data economy comes with concerns about security and privacy, and protectionist policies that could limit the growth of cloud computing

It’s interesting that the concerns have turned from security and privacy, to trust and regulations.  The growth of cloud computing will be hindered by some distrust of the technology.  However, over time, it won’t make that much difference in adoption, if the existing trends continue.  Indeed, we could see adoption rates accelerate next year.

The regulations that limit cloud are certain to come as well.  While limitations can sometimes stifle growth, in many respects, regulations are needed to insure that those charged with culling through data don’t abuse the privilege.  There will certainly be a few countries with a protectionist take on things, but the effect on the overall market will be minimal.