We Found the Hidden Cost of Data Centers. It's in Your Electric Bill [video]

Clear example of privatization of everything... until its the big corporations who need to get something done - then its socialism in disguise. And of course they hide all the deals behind closed doors so their customers can't see who all, and how much they're subsidizing.

If there is a sudden increase in demand/supply issues due to large corporations they should be the ones to subsidize the bill. I'd argue in the communities this affects they should be forced to cover for everyone who lives in the area for materially making their lives worse.

Not to mention utility companies should be forced to be transparent in the pricing/deals they make with tech companies. They are likely just luring them in with a deal and passing off the rest to their customers so they still don't lose out in the short term. They want the best of both worlds - still making all the same profits short term by passing on to customers while getting the long term lock-in for these data centers.

> socialism in disguise

I really dislike this kind of rhetoric. This has nothing to do with socialism. Corporations profiting from externalities and pushing costs onto regular workers is just capitalism. If you have a problem with it, maybe you have a problem with the inevitable concentrations of wealth and power which result from capitalism.

That's a strange definition of capitalism you're using.

Most people use capitalism to describe a system where people trade goods and services with as little interference from government as possible.

In this case, the government has written laws in a way that indirectly transfers wealth from consumers to large corporations.

Saying that such laws are "inevitable" in any conceivable capitalist system is unfalsifiable and adds little to the discussion.

I think calling it "crony capitalism" to make it clear that it's the undue influence of capital on government specifically causing the problem here lends more clarity to the discussion.