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Re:Most data centers refusing to say how much water, electri... by pjc50 on Wednesday September 30, 2026 @09:22AM (#49908591)
National governments kind of suck at enforcing these. In some cases, like the notorious Ireland Apple tax shelter, they may not want to enforce the rules because they feel they are benefiting from the evasion.

This kind of basic regulatory work is pretty thankless even when it's important. But I suspect the toxic politics of data centers will kick up some enforcement action sooner or later.

(Why is it so toxic? Well, the explicit promise from AI companies of mass unemployment combined with higher electricity prices, and maybe even destroy the world https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/09/anthropic... is why.)

Re:Most data centers refusing to say how much water, electri... by philipallstar on Wednesday September 30, 2026 @09:41AM (#49908837)
> In some cases, like the notorious Ireland Apple tax shelter, they may not want to enforce the rules because they feel they are benefiting from the evasion.

I thought it turned out the EU had no business in national tax affairs.

Re:Most data centers refusing to say how much water, electri... by flir on Wednesday September 30, 2026 @10:30AM (#49909531)
The line between a tax break and illegal state aid is exceedingly blurry. (It swung back and forth as it went through the courts, but the final ruling was "illegal state aid")
Re:Most data centers refusing to say how much water, electri... by philipallstar on Wednesday September 30, 2026 @11:48AM (#49910522)
Extra-national laws are a real minefield, though. Ireland is in a great position without having too do very much of its own to have got there other than sign the right agreements.