Opposition to data centers turns violent as local concerns merge with hostility toward Big Tech
News ClipJust The News·Round Rock, Williamson County, TX·4/17/2026
The article details the rising and sometimes violent opposition to data centers across the U.S., driven by distrust of Big Tech and concerns over AI. Communities are worried about impacts on electricity rates, water resources, views, and property values. Experts note a coordinated national campaign against data centers, leading to actions like a moratorium in Maine and specific project challenges in places like Round Rock, Texas.
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Gov: Congress
Opposition to data centers is intensifying across the United States, occasionally escalating to violence, fueled by widespread distrust of Big Tech and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Experts, including energy expert Robert Bryce, note a significant increase in community resistance, citing issues such as rising electricity rates, impact on views, noise, water usage, and property values. For example, an Indiana councilman's home was shot at following his support for a data center rezoning, and a man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home reportedly had anti-AI writings.
Between 2021 and April 2026, Bryce's database recorded 70 communities rejecting or restricting data centers, with Maine recently enacting a statewide moratorium. The article highlights a planned Skybox facility in Round Rock, Texas, which faces local opposition over visual impact, noise, and resource consumption. The American Energy Institute claims this opposition is not spontaneous but part of a coordinated national campaign by activist groups, some funded by foreign donors, aimed at hindering the buildout of electricity systems for AI and manufacturing.
These groups advocate for a national moratorium on data center construction, citing climate change concerns and the reliance of data centers on fossil fuels. Despite widespread public distrust of AI, as indicated by Gallup and YouGov polls, proponents like Gabriella Hoffman of the Independent Women’s Center argue that many community concerns can be addressed through sustainable practices like closed-loop water recycling and reliable power sources.
Hoffman and Bryce suggest that local zoning board hearings offer communities a tangible way to fight Big Tech, a battle they often feel unable to win in the digital realm. Big Tech companies are urged to engage with communities to build buy-in and address concerns practically, rather than facing continued widespread 'NIMBYism'.