A method and edge device for controlling data exchange of an industrial edge device with an industrial automation arrangement and a data cloud, wherein the edge device includes a first communication connection to the industrial automation arrangement and a second communication connection to a network of the data cloud, where the edge device includes applications exchanging data, and where the edge device includes a control device to control the data to be exchanged, wherein whether data exchange of an application is controlled via the first communication connection and the data exchange is implemented directly via the second communication connection or vice versa is defined for each application, where a data flow control device ensures simultaneous direct data exchange by an application via both communication connections does not occur, such that rigorous checking of applications or containers within the applications with respect to data security is not required.