IT & Technology News
Reporting on information technology, cybersecurity, and tech policy. The Daily Signal includes analysis, commentary, and opinion on technology’s impact.
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news
Data Center Opponents Stage 142 Protests Across 42 States
Opponents of the rapid buildout of data centers held 142 protests across 42 states on Saturday in the first nationwide effort to channel anger at the AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics. The protests were coordinated by HumansFirst, co-founded by a former leader of the modern-day Tea… -
exclusive
Hawley Investigates Meta’s Treatment of Whistleblower Who Alleged China Ties
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is calling out Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly mistreating a whistleblower through lawfare. Sarah Wynn-Williams, Meta’s former global head of public policy, testified before Congress that the company worked “hand in glove” with the Chinese Communist Party. Now, Congress is investigating and demanding answers. “Meta’s efforts… -
opinion
Innovation Can Make Data Centers Cleaner—If New York Lets It
As communities across America debate whether to approve new data centers, some are implementing moratoria based on concerns over water use and noise pollution. Most recently, New York issued an executive order banning data center construction for one year while the state looks to address environmental concerns with more regulation and red tape. Those concerns… -
analysis
Virginians Question Power-Hungry Data Centers’ Expansion
Newton’s third law indicates that every action produces an equal and opposite reaction. In Virginia politics, that is showing up in the push-and-pull over data centers. The state is already peppered with data centers, and developers are rolling out plans to build more. In almost every location, local residents quickly rally to oppose their expansion…. -
opinion
If Congress Wants One National Standard for Online Child Safety, It Must Earn It
The House of Representatives recently passed a bipartisan online child safety package. But the debate isn’t about child safety alone. It’s about preemption. The legislation is part of an ongoing national conversation over Big Tech’s outsized influence on children’s mental health, the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and the role parents should play as these… -
opinion
AI Companies, Data Centers Must Defend Themselves—Silence Is No Weapon Against the Exploding Backlash
Artificial intelligence companies and the data centers that power them are devoting mouth-watering sums to achieve their potential. The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Meta, and Amazon are “expected to spend more than $670 billion this year” on capital expenditures. McKinsey & Company forecasts that “global spending on data centers… -
news
White House to Rally Utilities, Data Centers for AI Power Cost Pledge, Sources Say
WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters)—The White House plans to bring together utility companies and data center developers to make a voluntary pledge designed to ensure that rapid growth in electricity demand from artificial intelligence does not drive-up power bills for households and businesses, according to three people familiar with the plans. An event to announce the… -
news
Few Details Emerge From Kemp’s Private Meeting With OpenAI and Georgia Power
Gov. Brian Kemp held a private meeting with OpenAI and Georgia Power in May to discuss OpenAI’s plans for the Peach State, but details about the meeting are only now beginning to surface. On Monday, independent news outlet The Current revealed that the meeting, held on May 20, was private and known only from a… -
opinion
Congress Shouldn’t Undermine Trump’s AI Agenda
President Donald Trump has made clear that the United States intends to win the global artificial intelligence race. From expanding domestic energy production to supporting new data centers and encouraging advanced manufacturing, the administration has recognized that AI leadership will be one of the defining economic and national security priorities of the 21st century. That… -
news
Abbott Calls for Ban on AI Data Centers in Rural Texas Neighborhoods
Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for new AI data centers to be blocked from development in rural neighborhoods across Texas amid growing backlash over their effects on residential communities and water supplies. During a property tax event in Bullard, a rural community located south of Tyler, Abbott said he would push back against AI data centers… -
opinion
Trump v. Pope Leo XIV? Where Do Washington and Rome Go From Here?
The following is an excerpt of Daily Signal Politics Editor Bradley Devlin’s interview with Paul Kengor, editor of The American Spectator and author of the new book “American Pontiff,” for the “Signal Sitdown,” which premieres on the Daily Signal’s YouTube page at 6:30 a.m. EDT on July 8. This transcript has been edited for clarity…. -
opinion
Pamphlets to Posts: The Founders Would Have Been Keyboard Warriors
RealClearWire—If America’s Founding Fathers were still with us today, they wouldn’t avoid social media—they’d master it. Popular platforms like X, Facebook, Truth Social, and Instagram can reduce our ability to build trusting relationships and cross political boundaries. But they are also incredibly powerful tools to spread news and perspectives—and are not inherently incompatible with thoughtful… -
opinion
MSCI’s SpaceX Rating Discredits the ESG Cartel
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, recently became the first trillionaire in history when SpaceX—the rocket company he founded—debuted in a record-breaking IPO. Though market volatility has since pushed his net worth below the trillion-dollar mark in some trading sessions, the milestone endures, as does SpaceX’s groundbreaking innovation in reusable spaceflight and its expanding work… -
opinion
As Europeans Bake, Their Leaders Blame America Instead of Embracing Air Conditioning
It’s too darn hot across the pond, but Europe’s ruling elites have decided that to remain holier than thou their people need to forgo grubby, American air conditioning. That’s the talk of the internet this Fourth of July week as much of Western Europe recovers from a hellacious heat wave that has claimed the lives… -
opinion
Next Gen Missile Defense Can Enforce Trump’s Iran Redlines
Critics of President Donald Trump’s recently signed memorandum with Iran worry about future Iranian cheating, particularly after Trump leaves office. As a hedge against cheating, the president has kept a formidable array of naval and air power nearby—a force clearly capable of retaliating against Iranian missile launches or other violations of current or future agreements. But there’s another, more preventative… -
news
BOOM: Duffy Announces Supersonic Flights Are Coming Soon
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on Tuesday afternoon that the Federal Aviation Administration is taking a “pivotal step” to make civil supersonic flights possible. The Department of Transportation says the flights will be fast, quiet, and coming soon. “Restoring supersonic flight over land isn’t just about speed, it’s about unleashing American innovation and ushering… -
news
‘The House Is on Fire’: House Passes Online Protections to Shield Children From Porn
The House successfully passed its internet safety package for children while the Senate continues to stall. The Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act includes a key amendment that would protect children from viewing sexual content online, a statistic that continues to grow. “To use figurative language, the house is on fire,” Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.,… -
news
Central Ohio Data Center Will Have Its Own Power Plant
THE CENTER SQUARE—An Ohio state board has approved a natural gas-powered electric generation plant in Licking County to serve a data center, saying taxpayers and ratepayers won’t pay for power at the center. The power will be consumed by Sidecat, LLC, an affiliate of Meta Platforms, Inc., according to a news release by the Ohio… -
analysis
Are Republicans Souring on Data Centers?
In recent elections, Republican voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with policies responding to the construction of data centers—the rapidly expanding physical infrastructure that supports the internet. At the same time, Republican governors are increasingly arguing that their party has to start listening to constituents who are upset with how they believe data centers are affecting… -
opinion
Fraud Cartels Monopolize Big Tech. New Legislation May Stop That.
Americans lost billions of dollars to online scams originating on social media last year—more than on any other platform, according to new data from the Federal Trade Commission. Many of these schemes begin with advertisements purchased by fraudsters, including international fraud cartels, who use social media platforms to lure victims into fake investment opportunities, romance scams, and…