Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is this being downvoted? Are there people on HN that actually think the government should tell people what they can do in the privacy of their own home? What a bunch of totalitarians. Perhaps the government should be able to dictate who people can sleep with or what media they are allowed to consume. Why are there so many people comfortable with letting governments dictate freedoms when those freedoms aren’t harm…
Did you read the part in the article where server racks set up in apartments not designed for the load are starting electrical fires in residential areas? Kind of a weird definition of “not harming anyone”.
Certain phrases in the parent ("own home") and grandparent ("property owner") would seem to make this comment about apartments somewhat inapplicable. But it really is as simple as that - if you own the equipment and/or can safely handle the load and/or can bear all the costs yourself of any un-safety, then you can do whatever you want. If what you do affects others, those others will object, either in the form of an ultimatum/eviction/lawsuit by your landlord, a complaint/lawsuit by your neighbor(s), an ultimatum or unpaid claim by your insurance company, or an ultimatum/discontinuation of service by the electricity provider. "In America we still have freedom" and calling people "totalitarians" are both a little off-the-hook which I think explains the downvotes.