How we talk about the cloud shapes the way we perceive internet privacy

The semantics of the internet encourage us not to worry about who or what actually has control of our data

For most of us, how we perceive the internet is significantly shaped by the language used to describe it: say "web" and dew-dropped silk comes to mind, "net" and woven knots of string, "information superhighway" and bright cars racing in the dark.

These names describe a system of disparate machines, giving shape to the network. Which name we choose has a large effect on how we perceive the structures that carry all our photos and emails and bank balances and work and subscriptions and love letters and affairs and charity donations.