This is some of the most compelling environmental journalism I've read in a while. The framing of 'digital colonialism' really nailed somthing I've struggled to articulate about how these tech giants deliberately target communities with thin wallets and limited bargaining power. When I drive through rural areas back home, I always wonder what development will actually stick around versus just extract andleave. Dunno if these places will ever see the benefits they're being promised.
So glad to get your feedback- it does seem very much as you describe. It’s ironic that the last data center we investigated is the most speculative (Compass in Meridian). Reminds me of the ghostly empty box stores in my hometown in Illinois after the overbuilding of retail space all across the country in the early 2000’s…
This is some of the most compelling environmental journalism I've read in a while. The framing of 'digital colonialism' really nailed somthing I've struggled to articulate about how these tech giants deliberately target communities with thin wallets and limited bargaining power. When I drive through rural areas back home, I always wonder what development will actually stick around versus just extract andleave. Dunno if these places will ever see the benefits they're being promised.
So glad to get your feedback- it does seem very much as you describe. It’s ironic that the last data center we investigated is the most speculative (Compass in Meridian). Reminds me of the ghostly empty box stores in my hometown in Illinois after the overbuilding of retail space all across the country in the early 2000’s…