Paradox News
Technology & AI

Data centre backlash grows as AI power and water demand becomes a US midterm issue

The BBC, the Guardian and Politico report growing local opposition to large data centres over noise, size and power use, from Newport in South Wales to US voters ahead of the midterms.

L 67% · C 33% · R 0% · 3 outlets

Left 0 · Centre-left 2 · Centre 1 · Centre-right 0 · Right 0

ContextSources by leanVideoDeep diveFollow the moneyMore coverage

How each side framed it

Left-leaning outlets

Left-rated outlets headline it: “Poll: Data center backlash builds as midterms near” (Politico); “The datacentre next door: on the frontline of tech’s latest David v Goliath battle | AI (artificial intelligence)” (The Guardian).

Centre outlets

Centre-rated outlets headline it: “Big, noisy and coming to a town near you - why the data centre backlash is growing” (BBC News).

Right-leaning outlets

No right-rated outlet in our sample covered it.

Context

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Sources by lean

Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.

Left 2

Centre 2

Right 0

No right coverage found — blindspot

Showing 2 from left and centre of 3 rated outlets (L 2 / C 1 / R 0). Capped at 2 because that is all we found on the thinnest side. 1 found by a targeted top-up search (marked; not counted in the split). More coverage

Video

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Deep dive

A short prompt for thinking it through. We write a fuller side-by-side deep dive for the day's biggest stories.

A question to hold: What would each side need to see to change its mind?

Try it: open one left and one right article in Sources by lean and note what each takes for granted.

Follow the money

Not yet researched. We haven't yet looked at who gains or loses financially from this story, or who funds the main voices on each side. When we do, we check company filings, the Electoral Commission donations register, lobbying registers, annual reports, InfluenceMap and OpenSecrets, and we apply the same checks to every side. How we follow the money.

Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (3 outlets)
OutletLeanOwnership & funding (MBFC)
PoliticoCentre-leftOn 8/26/2021, German publisher Axel Springer purchased Politico for a reported 1 billion dollars. Axel Springer owns numerous publications, including Bild, Business Insider, and Fakt. Politico has a subscription-based service called Politico Pro, launched in 2010 for professionals, such as lobbyists and analysts, which provides policy intelligence coverage on technology, energy, and other sectors. source
The GuardianCentre-leftThe Guardian and its companion publication, the Sunday newspaper The Observer, are owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). Scott Trust Limited was created in 1936 to ensure the editorial independence of the publications and owns Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). source
BBC NewsCentreThe BBC operates under a Royal Charter. Oversight is managed by the BBC Board, and regulatory authority rests with Ofcom. source