The data center backlash is a product of two mutually reinforcing dynamics:
1) Locally, it's material concerns (noise, water, electricity) and process failure (NDAs, tax subsidies)
2) Nationally, it's broad anti-corporate and anti-AI sentiment (AI companies are screwing you over to get rich off dumb toys)
Social media + political campaigns amplify hyperlocal grievances into a broad populist movement, and there's no compelling "pro data center faction" to make the opposite case