X Says Chinese Bot Accounts Are Pushing Back Against Data Centers

Social media network X said Chinese bot accounts on its platform are trying to decrease support for the construction of new data centers.⁠

The Details: X's Safety team said it identified a Chinese bot farm of 200,000 "inauthentic" accounts — 200 of which posted "in a manner that could manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI and energy policy." X said it remains "committed to maintaining an open and authentic platform where people debate topics of public interest" and that it would suspend accounts in violation of its Authenticity policy.

Previously: In June, OpenAI and other pro-AI groups claimed Chinese and other foreign-based accounts were posting on social media to sway public opinion toward opposing data centers. Notably, similar to OpenAI, the parent of ChatGPT, X has its own AI chatbot named Grok.

Politics: Data centers have become an increasingly controversial and relevant voter issue as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Two weeks ago, Pennsylvania's Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro ordered new restrictions on data center construction in the state, a move that media across the spectrum framed as a significant pivot from his stance on the issue earlier this year. Last week, The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) published an analysis that found candidates in both parties have shifted sharply against data centers over the past six months, with Democratic candidates making the move first. Recent polling from Quinnipiac University found data centers to be of greater concern to Pennsylvania Democratic voters than Republican ones.

RELATED: The Insight: The Data Center Dilemma | AllSides

Media Bias: Outlets on the right have offered more favorable coverage of data center construction over the past year, often framing the subject as tangential to a race for AI dominance against China. Notably, both Wall Street Journal Opinion (Lean Right) and Libertarian outlet Reason (Center) have published a significant amount of pro-data center commentary. Last week, AllSides reported that the Tucker Carlson (Right) podcast platformed false claims about data centers suggesting they raised energy prices and risked blackouts in a small Pennsylvania town.

RELATED: The Wall Street Journal Has a Strong Pro-Data Center Bias | AllSides

How The Media Covered It: X's claims were covered more by outlets on the right. Several outlets such as Newsweek (Center), Deseret News (Center), and Washington Free Beacon (Lean Right) framed their coverage less about X's claims and more as a broader fight against China to prevent it from influencing American public opinion on data centers.

Peter Kafka of Business Insider (Lean Left) published an opinion that argued, "It is certainly plausible that China has tried to use social media to convince Americans to hate data centers… But 'China tried to exploit opposition to data centers' is different from 'China created that opposition' — or even from 'China meaningfully amplified it.'" He added, "The bigger picture is that a report like this seems unlikely to turn people who don't like data centers into people who like data centers. More likely, it will just end up preaching to the choir."

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