WSJ Tech News Briefing · Friday, September 25, 2026
Data center workers are experiencing a shift in public perception due to the growing backlash against these facilities, which they feel is unfair as they are maintaining critical infrastructure. Previously, their jobs were met with indifference, but now they often become a topic of conversation, sometimes leading to feelings of offense among employees who believe they are vital to the nation's internet.
“So these people when I would ask them about the politics of it all, they never used to get these questions. They would tell their friends or family that they worked at a data center and people would just like blank. They wouldn't care.”
“You know, and now you tell your friends or family that you work at a data center and it's a conversation. So I think it's very strange to see your job not necessarily change, but the reaction change a lot.”
“And I think some people feel a little offended by it all. They feel like they're running America's internet and everything.”