I first heard the word “frenemy” a few years ago from my teenage daughter describing one of her classmates. She really liked this girl, but there were things about her she didn’t quite trust – like she couldn’t be counted on as someone who “had her back.” Off to the Urban Dictionary I went, as was the new norm if I wanted to more fully relate to my teenagers. Thanks to my daughter, today I’ve found a great use for this word that can help others come to terms with certain fast-paced technology. For me, the Cloud is like my daughter’s nice, but not-so-trustworthy friend. The cloud is our frenemy.
The cloud is our frenemy because we struggle with the stability of the relationship. Consumers have never felt so powerful since the advent of smartphones and tools that enable them to download, upload and share music, videos, and photos. When this phenomenon first caught on, most consumers didn’t even realize they were using the cloud – or what was behind the technology. They just knew they were more productive and more fulfilled.