Meta Platforms Spends USD 6.4 Million on Ad Campaign To Win Support for AI Data Centres Amid Growing Public Backlash

Menlo Park, January 28: Meta Platforms has reportedly spent USD 6.4 million on a nationwide advertising campaign designed to improve public perception of its data centres. The initiative, which ran during the final months of 2025, targeted several American cities from Sacramento to Washington with a series of advertisements highlighting the economic benefits of these facilities in rural communities.

The campaign features short video spotlights on Meta’s existing infrastructure in Altoona, Iowa, and Los Lunas, New Mexico. These advertisements portray the data centres as vital lifelines for small towns, suggesting that the facilities provide the necessary jobs to prevent residents from moving away and to keep local businesses and social traditions thriving. Meta Subscription Plan: Mark Zuckerberg-Led Company Testing New Premium Subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.

Meta AI Data Centres

Despite the idealistic tone of the advertisements, the tech giant faces significant public resistance. Residents in various regions have expressed growing concerns regarding the environmental and economic impact of these massive installations. These sprawling complexes are essential for powering the company’s artificial intelligence ambitions but require immense amounts of electricity and water to operate.

Public sentiment has soured as communities grapple with the possibility of skyrocketing energy costs and the depletion of local water resources. This pushback has already led to tangible consequences for the industry, resulting in the delay or cancellation of billions of USD in planned investments across states including Virginia, Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, and Missouri.

Data Centre Lobbying Blitz

The tension between tech companies and local communities was further highlighted by recent winter storms that placed the national power grid under severe strain. Areas surrounding large data centres are under particular scrutiny as critics question whether the grid can sustain both industrial AI demands and residential heating requirements during extreme weather events. Tech Layoffs 2026: Amazon, Meta Lead New Wave of Job Cuts as AI Automation and Corporate Restructuring Reshape Industry.

Meta is not alone in its efforts to sway public opinion. Industry competitors and operators such as Digital Realty, QTS, and NTT Data are reportedly preparing a co-ordinated "lobbying blitz" to defend new developments. As the demand for AI processing power continues to grow, these companies are increasingly forced to balance their infrastructure needs against a more sceptical and organised public.