Emporia, Kansas, moved 2 commission meetings online and removed public comment after local officials received death threats regarding AI data center approvals. Grayslake, Illinois, similarly canceled a public comment session following violent social media posts, as the number of active temporary or permanent local bans on data center development in the US rose to more than 500 by early August from 300 in late June.

The escalating hostility toward AI infrastructure is now influencing political campaigns across several states. The backlash is affecting midterm races as opposition to the facilities becomes a central electoral issue for candidates in the upcoming November elections.

Sign in to suggest edits

Key sources

  1. SUPPORT@rohanpaul_ai“Emporia, Kansas, moved 2 commission meetings online and removed public comment for safety.”x.com
  2. SUPPORT@thehill“Rising data center backlash shakes up midterm races”x.com
  3. SUPPORT@rektmando“Coreweave is the obvious short imo”x.com
Markdown