"Google, go home": Protests against data center near Linz

More than 200 residents demonstrated in Kronstorf, Austria, on Friday, voicing strong opposition to Google's planned data center in the region. Protesters gathered under the banner "Google, go home," expressing concerns about potential water and energy shortages that they fear the massive facility will exacerbate.

The construction site in Kronstorf, located in Upper Austria, currently shows little outward indication of the global tech giant's involvement. The project is officially being built by a company named Volo Zwei GmbH. However, the distinctive red, yellow, green, and blue colors on the safety signs surrounding the construction area clearly echo Google's corporate logo, betraying the parent company's identity.

Critics are primarily concerned about the significant water and energy consumption anticipated for the Google data center. While Google and local political representatives are working to address these concerns and reassure the public, the "Google, go home" sentiment highlights a growing tension between technological development and local resource management in the area.