With rising community resistance, data center supporters are launching aggressive public relations campaigns. In Virginia, home to the largest concentration of data centers in the nation, ads highlight the industry’s billion-dollar investments in clean energy, local job creation, and efforts toward a sustainable energy future. Sponsored by Virginia Connects, these campaigns emphasize that data centers cover their own energy costs, potentially lowering household bills, and contribute to local economies. However, studies challenge this narrative, showing that data centers create fewer high-paying jobs compared to other sectors and often rely heavily on subsidies. Activists and researchers caution that data centers demand significant resources, including water and electricity, raising environmental and economic concerns, which has sparked political action and regulatory scrutiny. Despite this, companies continue sizable investments in advertising to reshape their image and gain public support.
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