- Survey finds many people still lack key knowledge on what data centers are and what they do
- 89% of UK adults were unfamiliar with data centers, and many were uneasy on the environmental effects
- However attitudes are still being formed, and could shift in coming years
New research has found that, in spite of their growing importance in everyday life (and increasing presence in global headlines), many of us don't really know what data centers do.
A report from SEC Newgate found 89% of UK adults were unfamiliar with data centers - and 14% saying they have never heard of them at all, showing a widespread knowledge gap around the facilities.
This is despite rising concerns over data centers across the globe, primarily concerning the environmental effect new facilities are having, especially regarding power and water usage.
Data center knowledge gap
Perhaps most concerningly, SEC Newgate's findings included a survey of more than 1,500 members of the UK public, alongside a separate survey of almost 500 councillors, showing an alarming lack of knowledge among those making key local decisions.
For those that did have knowledge of data centers, their link to AI was the most important factor - with three-quarters of respondents believing data centres were expanding because of the excessive demand for the technology.
Support for new data centers was also shown to be somewhat conditional, suggesting many members of the public still haven't made up their minds on their opinion.
The survey found that when respondents were provided with factual information explaining what data centers do, how they operate and why they are needed, attitudes shifted hugely, with positive sentiment rising from just over a third to more than six in ten (from 35% to 61%), support for building new data centres increased (from 54% to 73%), and nearly eight in ten (79%) backed the government’s decision to classify data centres as Critical National Infrastructure.
However as with the global focus on the demands of new data centers, the report showed growing concern around the facilities.
Two thirds (67%) of respondents said they believe data centers use too much power, while many also expressed concern about pressure on water resources (55%) and cybersecurity risks (66%).
Overall, 60% said they would accept more data centres being built in their local area as they are essential to the country's future growth - however, four in ten (40%) say they would not – even when the national benefits are made explicit.
"Data centres are now critical national infrastructure, yet this research shows we haven’t built a shared public understanding of what they are, why they matter or how they fit into everyday life," said Leyla Hart-Svensson, Managing Director, Insight & Intelligence, SEC Newgate.
"That gap is significant at a moment when the UK is making major decisions about digital growth, because confidence and consent are not automatic – they have to be earned. What we are seeing is not a public that is opposed to data centres, but a public whose views are still forming, and increasingly shaped by, wider anxieties about technology and artificial intelligence. Data centres are no longer invisible infrastructure, as they sit at the intersection of debates about energy, trust and the future of the digital economy. How those debates are framed now will shape acceptance for years to come.”
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