Hello ODI Supporter,
New York became the first US state to put a moratorium on new hyperscale datacentres this week as Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order slapping a one-year pause on 50MW+ facilities. She cited utility bills, water supply and the general energy grid strain. It's less a one-off than an opening shot, as some fifteen states have floated similar bills this year and over 300 datacentre-related ones in total, though only New York and Maine got as far as a governor's desk. And Maine's got vetoed. There's a federal appetite for a moratorium too, and industry lobbyists are watching nervously, not quite panicking, but really quite concerned. Even President Trump chipped in, warning states against AI regulation on the grounds that it would hand China the advantage in the AI race. There is a lot at stake for Hochul at the moment, as she has a re-election campaign in the offing, and some critics see this in that context rather than straight-up energy policy. Still, as the song goes, if they can clamp down on datacentres there, they can do it (cue the horns/BAM BAM) anywhere.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) investigation has found more than 5,000 data breaches across NHS Scotland's health boards since January 2023, with 182 staff disciplined and six cases referred to Police Scotland. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had 1,335 incidents but couldn't say if anyone was disciplined, while NHS Lanarkshire (1,138) is still living down a 2023 Information Commissioner’s Office reprimand after staff shared patient details in a WhatsApp group over 500 times. NHS Lothian, despite a comparatively low 14 breaches, dismissed six staff and referred six to the police, including a case where a woman was charged after roughly 100 patients had their records accessed. Several boards declined to give further detail, citing cost or data protection law. The investigation follows an earlier case in which a radiographer accessed the files of more than 200 female patients and used their contact details to stalk them. Some of the women were domestic abuse survivors, and one victim had to move home to escape him.
Social media bans have met a mixed response from advocacy groups, researchers, those caring for young people, and young people themselves. In our latest blog, published this week, research from the CoCoDa project sets out three recommendations to improve the accountability of social media platforms and protect both young people and other users. Meanwhile, our Global Head of Policy, Resham Kotecha wrote in the Health Service Journal this week about the promise and pitfalls of using AI in the NHS. Check it out. On the events front, we still have tickets for Rowenna Fielding discussing her data framework for improved data governance on Thursday 30 July 12:00-13:00. And coming up on Thursday 24 September, 14:00-15:00 BST, we’ll explore the long‑standing question of how doctors and nurses approach decisions about sharing confidential patient information in the public interest.
And finally… O2 network data confirms that England fans hit up the dating apps during World Cup breaks, with significant spikes across Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and Grindr. During England’s game against Mexico, dating app traffic increased by 15% during the first hydration break, and almost 46% during the second, with similar patterns during the Norway match. Now, with England’s defeat to Argentina on Wednesday, it looks like football won’t be coming home any time soon…but with any luck, a date might.
David and Jo
PS: We're delighted to announce our three Transparent artists: Sam Bonser, Millad Khonsorkh and Isolda Milenkovic. The programme, a collaboration between Animate Projects and the ODI's Data as Culture initiative, will see the artists create short animated films exploring transparency in data, landing in 2027. This is the fourth round of Animate's Arts Council England-backed development scheme.
