Alphabet to Invest $3.3 Billion to Build Two Data Centers in South Carolina - 1

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Alphabet to Invest $3.3 Billion to Build Two Data Centers in South Carolina

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Alphabet will invest $3.3 billion in multiple data centers in South Carolina
  • With $2 billion Google’s parent company will build two new data centers in Dorchester County
  • $1.3 billion will be used to expand the existing data center in Berkeley County

Google’s parent company Alphabet plans to invest $3.3 billion dollars to build two data centers in South Carolina and expand another existing data center in the state.

According to Reuters , the information was revealed by Sundar Pichai, the tech giant’s CEO. This decision comes during a growth period where tech companies are looking for more infrastructures to develop new AI technologies.

South Carolina governor’s office shared a statement this Thursday with more details about the campuses. The new data centers will be located in Dorchester County, and Alphabet will also expand its current data center in Berkeley County.

The two new data centers represent a $2 billion investment and could potentially create 200 operational jobs. Meanwhile, $1.3 billion will be used for the expansion.

Just a few months ago, Alphabet also announced a capital expenditure of $13 billion, which aligns with the company’s estimated quarterly spending.

Microsoft has also been investing in infrastructure for its new AI technologies. In April, the company shared its plans to invest $2.9 billion in cloud infrastructure in Japan, and just a few days ago, the company partnered with BlackRock to invest $30 billion in data centers and energy projects.

Nokia also announced a 2.3 billion dollar investment in optical networking solutions company Infinera to expand its infrastructure and develop AI technologies.

Alphabet keeps investing and expanding in AI efforts and overcoming challenges. Google’s AI model, Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM 2) is currently being investigated by the European Data Protection Commission (DPC).

Mozilla Accused Of Privacy Violations In Firefox Browser Tracking - 2

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Mozilla Accused Of Privacy Violations In Firefox Browser Tracking

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • NOYB has filed a complaint against Mozilla for user tracking.
  • Mozilla’s PPA feature tracks users without their consent.
  • Millions of European users may be affected by these practices

Vienna-based advocacy group noyb (None Of Your Business) announced on Wednesday that it has lodged a formal complaint against Mozilla. The complaint alleges that the Firefox browser maker has been tracking user behavior on websites without obtaining the necessary consent.

Noyb, a digital rights organization founded by privacy advocate Max Schrems, has alleged that Mozilla has activated a feature called privacy preserving attribution (PPA). This feature reportedly turns the browser into a tracking tool for websites.

The complaint states that users have reportedly not been informed about the PPA feature, or provided with an option to consent. This feature is not mentioned in Mozilla’s data protection policies, and users must navigate through sub-menus to opt-out.

The implications of this complaint are significant, as millions of European users could be affected by the undisclosed tracking practices.

A Mozilla spokesperson defended the decision, stating that the limited test of PPA aims to improve invasive advertising practices by providing more technical alternatives.

“These techniques prevent any party, including Mozilla, from identifying individuals or their browsing activity,” the spokesperson said to Reuters .

Felix Mikolasch, a data protection lawyer at NOYB, criticized Mozilla’s approach, suggesting that the company has succumbed to the narrative that the advertising industry has a right to track users.

“While Mozilla may have had good intentions, it is very unlikely that ‘privacy preserving attribution’ will replace cookies and other tracking tools. It is just a new, additional means of tracking users,” Mikolasch stated.

Noyb demands that Mozilla properly informs users about its data processing activities and transitions to an opt-in system for the PPA feature. Additionally, Noyb is calling for the deletion of any unlawfully processed data.