Political ads on Facebook and Instagram mentioning data centers have grown more critical. In October 2026, 57% opposed data centers while only 3% supported them. Spending on these ads reached nearly $12 million over 90 days. Pro-data center sentiment was higher in January but has since reversed. Anti-data center ads often cite corporate interests, energy use, and environmental impacts. Pro-data center ads focus more on job creation. Most recent spending came from advocacy groups, not candidate campaigns. Democratic candidates post more data center ads than Republicans. Both parties are similarly critical when they do. Ohio, Wisconsin, and Texas saw over $1M in targeted ad spending. Wisconsin had the highest share of data center ad spending relative to total political ads.
What changed
Pro-data center ads were slightly more common than anti-data center ads in January 2026.
What it unlocks
Identifying the shift in political ad sentiment toward data centers ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterms.
- 57% of ads opposed to data centers
- 3% of ads supportive
- $12M spent on data center ads in 90 days
- 20,751 ads analyzed
Sources