Why is Meta spending millions on an ad campaign for data centers?

Meta spent $6.4 million on an ad campaign to promote the job creation and community revitalization benefits of its data centers.

What are the main concerns communities have about new data centers?

Communities are concerned about skyrocketing energy costs, significant water usage, and the strain new data centers place on the power grid.

How is public sentiment affecting data center development?

Public sentiment has soured, leading to backlash, delays, and cancellations of billions of dollars in data center investments across the nation.

Home / Business and Economy / Meta's Data Center Ads vs. Public Backlash Over Energy Costs

Meta's Data Center Ads vs. Public Backlash Over Energy Costs

28 Jan

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Summary

Meta spent $6.4 million on an ad campaign promoting data centers.
Communities oppose new data centers due to energy and water concerns.
Public sentiment has soured on data centers powering AI.

Meta's Data Center Ads vs. Public Backlash Over Energy Costs

In late 2025, Meta initiated a $6.4 million advertising campaign across various U.S. cities. The campaign aimed to garner public support for new data centers, featuring videos that emphasized job creation and community revitalization in locations like Altoona, Iowa, and Los Lunas, New Mexico.

These efforts aim to counter growing public opposition. Communities are increasingly pushing back against data center expansion, citing soaring energy costs and significant water consumption. This backlash has already led to delays and cancellations of billions of dollars in data center investments across several states.

The strain on the power grid, highlighted by a recent winter storm, exacerbates these concerns. Tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, and Google view these data centers as crucial for powering artificial intelligence, but their environmental impact is fueling widespread negative public sentiment and bipartisan opposition.