Data Centers Have a New PR Plan: Your Kid’s Field Trip
wired ·
Amid growing public backlash over the environmental and community impact of massive data center expansions, industry groups are launching creative public relations campaigns targeting children. Organizations like the nonprofit 7x24 Exchange International are distributing children's books, coloring pages, and organizing field trips to foster goodwill and inspire future talent. Similar efforts include sponsored flag-making kits and educational materials provided by trade groups such as AFCOM in Virginia's "Data Center Alley." Major tech companies, including Amazon and Sabey, have also hosted student visits to their facilities to highlight career opportunities and technological benefits. Experts like Alex Molnar criticize these initiatives as corporate propaganda, arguing that children lack the critical thinking skills to evaluate such messaging. This strategy mirrors historical tactics used by industries with poor public images, such as tobacco and fossil fuels, to secure social license to operate. Despite these outreach efforts, polls indicate that roughly half of Americans view data centers negatively regarding their effect on quality of life.
wired