France, April 20 -- Marseille has emerged as the world's sixth-largest internet hub, surpassing even Hong Kong and becoming a global crossroads for internet traffic. Data centres continue to proliferate across the city, but the expansion is not without controversy as locals raise concerns about the environmental impact.

"These data centres consume a huge amount of electricity. So that's a problem. Especially since these neighbourhoods lack green spaces,"Jean-Pierre Lapebie, president of the local residents' organisation Cap au Nord,told RFI.

He was one of around 30people gathered in protest in front of what will be Marseille's fifth data centre.

"There's a population here that's struggling with serious hardship. And these people are be...