Hochul Defends 1-Year Data Center Freeze, Backs Under-18 Social Media Curbs
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Aug 31
Hochul Defends 1-Year Data Center Freeze, Backs Under-18 Social Media Curbs
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Aug 31
Summary
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the state’s 1-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers is meant to force better local deals, not block AI, after 30 applications raised fears over power use, noise and land impacts.
Five proposed sites in St. Lawrence County alone would consume the output of 1 nuclear reactor, she said, arguing communities need stronger bargaining tools on taxes, infrastructure, water use and long-term cleanup.
On social media, Hochul backed under-18 restrictions including no notifications from midnight to 6:00 AM, age verification and tighter privacy defaults, saying New York’s laws already go beyond parts of Meta’s 47-state settlement.
She also defended New York’s ghost-gun rules and signaled openness to tighter controls on police surveillance technology, saying any license-plate-reader data should be reviewed by humans rather than automatically shared.
Hochul framed AI and data centers as election-year realignment issues cutting across party lines, while warning companies must address job-loss fears—especially for women in administrative and entry-level professional roles—or lose public support.