re: Those opposed to data centers I want your views please

Here's my concern. Data Centers plus cameras everywhere might be good for society initially, but at some point in the future, sooner or later, nefarious government leadership will be in power and will use technology (including data centers)to persecute and exterminate opposition and will remain in power indefinitely at the expense of the population.

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at some point in the future, sooner or later, nefarious government leadership will be in power and will use technology (including data centers)to persecute and exterminate opposition

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That future arrived years ago with social media.... just wait until they pop the clutch in overdrive.

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Here's my concern. Data Centers plus cameras everywhere might be good for society initially, but at some point in the future, sooner or later, nefarious government leadership will be in power and will use technology (including data centers)to persecute and exterminate opposition and will remain in power indefinitely at the expense of the population.

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what do y'all think data centers are? They are racks and racks of server equipment.

they have been around for a very long time.

So you just want to stay comfortable because you are scared kids are becoming less social?

Complacency is what ended some of the worlds greatest empires. We need to adapt to everything that is currently changing.... social norms, tech, globalization, culture, etc.

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Northern Virginia on a data center. They don’t need those jobs

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Blame proximity to D.C., which is where most of their customers that want FedRAMP compliant data centers happen to be. I'm guessing the location of MAE East in the area had an influence in that decision decades ago when it began, too.

OP, look at this article that lays out a fairly sensible position.

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”I do not support the construction of data centers for which tax abatements, incentive payments, and subsidized utilities must be paid by taxpayers. In the raging battle between pro-data center and anti-data center forces, the two sides may not even be talking about the same thing. It is understandable that many of those who oppose data centers are skeptical, given the horrendous track record of corporate welfare, corporate cronyism, and taxpayer-funded industrial boondoggles they’ve been forced to pay for.

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This is progress:

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Near Austin, in Bastrop County, Texas, a massive (2,800 acre) proposed data center faced strong community opposition because it sought not only a 100% tax abatement from property taxes, but it also sought an abatement from emergency services taxes too. The Pacifico Energy project sought to take services from the community through 2038 without paying any taxes for the services they’d be using.

The message is finally getting through…

“Bastrop County Data Center Developer Drops Tax Break Requests, Says It Will Pay Full Property Taxes” [KVUE – 08/20/2026]

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The Fed magnet being right next to Washington, D.C, meant unmatched proximity to defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies for AWS specialized defense workloads. For tech companies pursuing federal contracts or strict security frameworks like FedRAMP, setting up shop in America's backyard was a no-brainer.

Data center backlash is panicking tech oligarchs ahead of midterms

Story by Amanda Marcotte

Corporate political donations have reached a record of $646 million this cycle, which is 40% above what was spent on the 2024 presidential election from this sector. Another $1 billion — and likely much more — has been spent by dark money donors.

. . . over half of the corporate spending comes from the tech industry, specifically companies that invest in AI, cryptocurrency and online gambling. The pattern suggests that Silicon Valley is focused on destroying the burgeoning movement for tech accountability, before it has a chance to grow enough in power to actually pass laws constraining the industry once a Democrat retakes the White House.

Voters from across the political spectrum hate data centers, which consume land, water and electricity while giving little to nothing back to the community. It’s a perfect symbol of Silicon Valley’s turn to vampiric capitalism, which is no longer about building a better future, but instead maximizing how quickly they can suck the public dry of its wealth and resources

The tech elite are likely hoping that they can convince Republican politicians to betray their own voters and focus their favors on the donor class once in office. But the size of the spending betrays how worried they are about people power. They clearly think it will take a lot of money to drown out the increasingly loud voices of everyday voters who see clearly that the tech industry is predatory, and are demanding that government do something about it. This midterm will be a test of who can be louder: people or money.

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AI Data Centers are typically much larger,

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How do you know how Meta apportions data center load on a weekly basis? is that "AI" data center matching faces in Facebook pictures (which isn't AI, you can do it with Immich on your laptop,) or is Muse Spark Image traffic what 50% of that particular data center is doing this week?

You can move running Docker containers and VMWare hosted VMs between data centers with clicks. Workload isn't static.

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If you are such a fan then ask for one to be built in your backyard.

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Where do I apply? Can I get a modular nuclear reactor put in my yard too? I'm all in. Free power in Texas for a Conex box I can landscape around? Yes, please.

I, and many other commenters in this thread have worked in a data center. I suspect you have never pulled up a piece of a raised floor while basking in the magnificent air conditioning provided. You don't understand that there are data centers sitting in skyscrapers in your town, not in the basement or first or second floors, but a little higher up. You have no concept, for instance, there are approximately 79 data centers in places like Houston, inside beltway 99, and most have been there for over 15 years.

Having feelings is OK. Having feelings in the face of facts is still ok, but then your feelings are just your problem.

I live in Az along the Colorado river. Little over an hour north on the river is Bullhead City. Az is already getting hammered by mandatory water cuts. Supposedly in the works is a data center in BHC. The word is it will need 19 million gallons of water for cooling. Supposedly a closed loop system where water isn't lost.

In the desert every gallon of water is valuable, Once built the jobs would be minimal, doesn't seem like a good trade off for the community.