Update on state actors stoking data center backlash
A new report by Alethea, a threat intelligence company, finds some (slightly) stronger evidence
About a month ago, I covered claims by pro-AI groups and House Republicans that China was fueling some of the data center opposition in the US.
At that time, the evidence seemed pretty thin. But a new report by the threat intelligence company Alethea provides some concrete examples of Chinese, Russian, and Iranian media outlets exploiting the controversy. As relayed by the New York Times:
Between January and June [2026] state media in China, Russia and Iran mentioned data centers roughly 700 times, according to Alethea’s analysis. That was an average of nearly four times a day, though it remained a small fraction of overall published content about A.I. development.
Alethea notes explicitly that data center opposition originated in the US, calling it “homegrown.” As with other hot button issues, the agency believes foreign actors are exploiting the controversy rather than creating it:
Locally fragmented, emotionally charged fights like this one are exactly the conditions state actors look for — a chance to turn grievance into a wedge against trust in U.S. infrastructure, companies, and government.
Data centers are the current target, but they’re also a preview of a repeatable playbook: local opposition, hijacked and amplified by foreign state actors into a national narrative.
The New York Times notes that the “impact on public opinion [of these media campaigns] remains to be seen.”
The report by Alethea also says some of the social media posts linked to foreign countries aren’t necessarily politically motivated, but rather “rural rage bait” to maximize engagement.
Unsurprisingly, according to the New York Times, some “have seized on the role of China, in particular,” arguing that Chinese propaganda is an effort to slow America’s technological lead. I have no doubt this will continue to be used as an anti-regulation talking point and a way to distract from homegrown safety and quality-of-life concerns.
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