What the US Movement Against Data Centers Can Learn From Abroad
Author Paris Marx, who has tracked global data center expansion, argues that U.S. communities pushing back against data center development can draw useful lessons from resistance movements and regulatory responses in countries including Ireland and New Zealand.
Why this matters: Data centers are not abstract infrastructure. They consume enormous amounts of land, water, and electricity, and communities near them often have little say in the decision. Other countries have already lived through the boom — some resisted, some regulated, some got steamrolled. The U.S. is earlier in that process, which means there is still time to learn what worked and what did not before the buildout locks in. Local residents, not just tech companies, should have a real voice in where this infrastructure goes and at what cost.
Who should care: Privacy officers · Cybersecurity
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