Hyperscalers allow more scrutiny of controversial data center plans

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Google and Meta say they will open up as Microsoft and AWS did before them.
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Credit: Google

Hyperscalers are getting decidedly twitchy about citizens’ reactions to their secretive data center construction plans, and are looking for ways to de-escalate some of the conflicts.

Earlier this month, Amazon announced its Data Center Commitment which, among other things, would disclose more information about energy and water use and consider a moratorium asking government officials to sign non-disclosure agreements covering their planning applications.

Amazon is not alone in this. Earlier this week, Meta said that it was reviewing its use of NDAs after the company was widely criticized for its secrecy in proposing Hyperion, a Louisiana data center in July.

Microsoft was an early pacesetter here, announcing in March that it would “cease to use NDAs as a tool in its data center site selection and development.” Google has since followed suit.

The action of the hyperscalers will be seen as a sign that the rise in protests against data center construction are beginning to have an effect. We have already seen major projects being delayed and we can probably expect to see greater campaigns against data centers as their electricity consumption rises further and as they use more and more water. We are beginning to see initiatives to cut the way that water is being used, to meet these objections head on.

It is unclear whether the hyperscalers’ efforts to be more open about their plans and greater efforts to seek renewable energy sources will assuage the anger against new data center plans. The backlash against them may just be too great.

This article first appeared on Network World.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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