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Simon Brookesimon_brooke@mastodon.scot
Oct 23, 2026, 7:18 AM
“Really, for #Finland, there are no benefits, They are international companies serving international customers. Very little corporate taxes go to Finland. #Datacentres ultimately have very little benefit for others except the datacentre operator.” — Jussi Kangasharju, head of computer science at the University of Helsinki
The same applies in #Scotland, Mr Swinney.
#ScotPol
‘Pure arrogance’: anger in Finland as Google illegally fells 250,000 trees for datacentre
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2026/oct/22/finland-google-felling-trees-datacentre
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Replies

Mikko Koski 🇫🇮rap1ds@mastodon.social
Oct 23, 2026, 7:30 AM
@simon_brooke That's exactly right. Google is planning to build those datacenters near small towns that are anyway struggling financially and are desperate to find some new tax sources and jobs. However, I believe the decisions makers in those towns don't really understand how little a datacenter benefits the town. After it's built, a couple security companies will make a deal with Google but that's about it. They are here for the cheap renewable energy we (still) have.
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Simon Brookesimon_brooke@mastodon.scot
Oct 23, 2026, 7:36 AM
@rap1ds perhaps you (and we) need a special electricity tax for #datacentres — say one million Euros per kilowatt hour?
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Mikko Koski 🇫🇮rap1ds@mastodon.social
Oct 23, 2026, 7:39 AM
@simon_brooke Totally. I don't fully oppose data centers. But I'm afraid we don't make them (Google et al.) pay for their fare share of the electricity bill.
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Mikko Koski 🇫🇮rap1ds@mastodon.social
Oct 23, 2026, 7:40 AM
@simon_brooke Plus, they cut the massive amount of forest without permission, which is a massive 🖕 from them
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Martin Vermeer FCDmartinvermeer@fediscience.org
Oct 23, 2026, 7:53 AM
@rap1ds @simon_brooke
Corruption and law breaking under a corrupt, lawless government easily becomes a thoughtless bad habit, also overseas. And empire.
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Simon Brookesimon_brooke@mastodon.scot
Oct 23, 2026, 7:51 AM
@rap1ds After the #GenAI bubble collapses -- which it will -- towns around the world are going to be left with these vast sheds which have no possible use, no jobs, and no tax income.
Even demolishing them will be a public expense.
#Datacentres
#AIBubble
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Mikko Koski 🇫🇮rap1ds@mastodon.social
Oct 23, 2026, 7:47 AM
@simon_brooke There's a citizens’ initiative for a data center tax. They broke the 50,000 limit in the first day https://www.kansalaisaloite.fi/fi/aloite/17997
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Colin H.GlasWolf@mastodon.scot
Oct 23, 2026, 9:50 AM
@simon_brooke See also Jackdaw.
Politicians seem very keen to be perceived as involved with Big Decisions and Big Industries, but have far less interest in whether the association has any actual benefit for the people they purport to represent. Maybe it's just an ego thing, to feel like they're amongst the big boys, the movers and shakers.
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Simon Brookesimon_brooke@mastodon.scot
Oct 23, 2026, 10:01 AM
@GlasWolf Plus directorships after the voters vote them out of office, and such like.
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Colin H.GlasWolf@mastodon.scot
Oct 23, 2026, 10:20 AM
@simon_brooke I wanted to avoid the blatant/not so blatant corruption angles, but yeah - that too.
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Sue Briccay :flag_asexual:essjayjay@tech.lgbt
Oct 23, 2026, 10:33 AM
@GlasWolf
It is all about the grift.
If people keep voting for grifters, it will never change.
@simon_brooke
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