The two sides of the data center backlash
This video discusses the dual nature of the data center backlash, highlighting both NIMBYism and broader societal concerns about what these large buildings represent. It references a data center project in Tucson, Arizona, potentially an Amazon Web Services facility, and links it to concerns about supporting surveillance infrastructure.
In an episode of Decoder with Nilay Patel, Verge policy reporter Gaby Del Valle discussed the two main facets of the public backlash against data centers. She explained that part of the opposition stems from a "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) sentiment, where residents object to the physical presence of data centers due to concerns about pollution, noise, and visual impact on their communities.
Del Valle also highlighted a deeper ideological opposition, stating that people "do not like what this big building represents and what it has wrought on society." She referenced a data center project in Tucson, Arizona, which some residents believe could be an Amazon Web Services facility. Locals voiced concerns that such infrastructure, even if not directly involved, contributes to the "nonsexy infrastructure that surveillance is built on," citing Amazon's work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).