Why China Is the Bogeyman Data Center Enthusiasts Just Can't Quit

Polling shows opposition to local data centers has risen to 75 percent, up from 42 percent last year, prompting bipartisan politicians to distance themselves from the projects. Claims that China is driving the anti-data-center sentiment stem from X’s identification of 200 accounts linked to China and a June OpenAI ban on users tied to the Chinese government, but analysts at Graphika and other experts say the evidence is thin and most opposition appears homegrown.