Almost nine in ten people in the UK say they know little or nothing about data centres – even though these facilities underpin services ranging from online banking and the NHS to streaming, social media and Artificial Intelligence.
New national research by SEC Newgate, a corporate affairs and research consultancy, shows this knowledge gap is widespread, with 89% of adults unfamiliar with data centres and 14% saying they have never heard of them at all, raising questions about how this knowledge gap may risk undermining the growth of the UK’s digital economy.
Understanding of what data centres are used for drops sharply beyond cloud storage and AI, with only around half of respondents recognising that essential, everyday services – including online banking, email, online shopping and healthcare systems – depend on data centres.
The report, Does Not Compute: What the UK public really thinks about data centres, is based on a nationally representative survey of more than 1,500 members of the public, alongside a separate survey of almost 500 councillors who sit on local authority planning committees – many of whom will be responsible for deciding future data centre developments.
Despite limited understanding, the research shows public attitudes towards data centres are still being formed and can shift quickly when people are given basic, neutral information. When respondents were provided with factual information explaining what data centres do, how they operate and why they are needed, attitudes shifted markedly.
