Big Tech, Propaganda, Politics, and You!
New ad campaigns blend politics, fear, loyalty, tribalism, military might, and patriotism
I was minding my business the other day, looking for some videos about garden composting when this attention-grabbing and somewhat terrifying video played entered the intro reel on YouTube.
For the whole 30-second pre-roll, I was mesmerized by all the things that could harm our country if I didn’t jump out of my chair to stand, salute, and pledge my allegiance to these United Data Centers of America.
My heart rate returned to normal when I realized that I was not probably contributing to the destruction of Western Civilization with my thoughts, ideas, and opinions about data centers. I went back and watched the video again - this time to see who had sponsored, paid for, and promoted it.
The answer was a familiar name: NetChoice
NetChoice is the trade association that represents the biggest and richest companies in the world, including Meta, Google, OpenAI, Amazon, and JP Morgan Chase bank.
In Kansas, NetChoice has two registered lobbyists, a husband and wife duo, one of whom introduced and testified on legislation that would later become Senate Bill 98 - which grants data centers in Kansas a comprehensive sales tax exemption for 20 years.
(I say later because the bill morphed along the way into a Conference Committee Report so that legislators don’t have an opportunity to amend or change the bill)
Now, if you didn’t watch the video above, go watch it with a critical eye. Consider the imagery and the message its sending to viewers.
The basic message NetChoice is pushing goes something like this: China is building data centers and if they beat us we’ll be in imminent danger. The president supports them so you should too. And if you don’t support them, the economy will tank, you’re unpatriotic, and we’ll never be able to win another war again. Data Centers aren’t dangerous - but not wanting them in your town is.
Now watch this video, which was published in 2021 when Florida, Texas, and a number of other Republican state legislators were passing laws to prohibit social media companies from restricting content - which at the time many believed was suppressing politically conservative points of view. The states’ argument was that since social media had effectively become the “public square” it had a duty to provide space for all points of view - and the legislation sought to keep social media companies from deciding which content people would be fed.
Did you see it? Did you catch what they did?
Different issue. But relatively the same vibe, same imagery, same talking points.
I’m going to say this as plainly as I can and I hope I say it loud enough for everyone to hear it…
These people, these companies, think we’re all stupid.
For the better part of 20 years, I’ve watched business groups and political action committees play this trick on the American public and on Kansans. Heck, they did it to me in the last several elections on a number of issues.
It turns out President Trump recently celebrated renewed trade agreements with the Communist nation, brushed aside worries and defended the purchase of additional farmland purchases by Chinese Nationals.
Ope.
These groups deploy a simple formula to confuse and trick people.
If it’s an issue, tie it to some liberal cause, or some radical agenda, some anti-American idea. Exploit fear about economic uncertainty, tease a few emotional images of the flag and U.S. soldiers, and the truth becomes difficult to see through the imagery and emotion of the message.
If it’s someone running for office - might be a Democrat, might be a moderate Republican, might be a far-right Republican, but always the candidate who won’t do big business’s bidding - just run an ad showing candidate X with the boogeyman du jour - Obama, Biden, Pelosi, AOC, Kamala, China, Immigrants, Environmentalists, Terrorists. It doesn’t matter who, so long as people get mad, or scared, so these companies can watch the stacks of money pile up.
Here we have two videos, with two distinctly different issues, yet the message is crafted in a way that’s designed to move the same audience, the same group of voters. And where they hope to move them is to NetChoice’s side of the issue.
The only thing they are loyal to is profit. The only sense of patriotism they feel is to their bottom lines. The only thing they hope to strengthen is their grip on our government so that it will continue to serve them well.
I’m going to say it again…
These people, these companies, think we’re all stupid.
I remembered that NetChoice had a few issues in the statehouse over the years, so I decided to, somewhat ironically, use AI to help do some research for me.
It’s worth noting a process point here. NetChoice is the overall trade organization, but Google, Amazon, etc., also employ their own lobbyists in Topeka, in other states, and in Washington, D.C. Generally, these hired contract lobbyists work together with other groups, such as the Kansas Chamber, National Federation of Independent Businesses, etc., - both during session and in the next election cycle - to create an overwhelming force against lawmakers who might object or oppose their legislation.
NetChoice is also quite proud of it’s activities in the judicial branch of government, giving itself some glowing praise in stopping efforts to restrict underage access to pornography, regulations that require digital warning labels for harmful online content, and numerous other cases.
In 2019, NetChoice launched its effort to “help” states adopt laws for data centers, in particular a series of sales tax exemptions on the construction, equipping, and upgrading data centers. This site has some information about their responses to questions about the tax relief plan included in SB 51, which was the basis for SB98.
In NetChoice’s testimony in support of SB 51/98, there was this familiar nugget, which for my entire adult life has been the veiled threat looming behind every economic development deal - be it data centers or a widget factory.
“Virtually everything we do now and in the future that touches the internet will depend on data centers. So, they will be built and operated all over the country. The question is whether they will be built in Kansas or elsewhere. Hyperscale data centers are not being built in states that impose a sales tax on their construction, equipment, repairs and operation. If Kansas wants to benefit from the billions of private dollars that go into data center construction and operations, it will need to create a tax structure that is competitive with these other states including our neighbors, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and Oklahoma.”
(Of course, such logic doesn’t apply when it comes to legalizing cannabis, expanding access to healthcare, reducing the state’s debt load, or anything that might help people more than billionaires).
The threat of loss, of missing an opportunity, is a well-worn tactic in rural areas that have suffered incredible economic loss over the years. We wish for better days, new opportunities, and the possibility of becoming again what we once were - and in this there are some who see desperation that is ripe for exploitation.
This invocation of fear has been used as the justification for compelling elected officials to sign non-disclosure agreements, to develop ever bigger tax incentive structures, and invent creative cash payout systems.
And it’s the fuel that ignites the fire of urgency around the dire need of those without enough, who are struggling to get by, to let the Googles, Amazons, Metas, and Xs of the world take just a little bit more.
Again, I’ll ask the question: If AI and data centers are so profitable, transformative, and inevitable, why is the public being asked to fund incentives to support them?
I’ll say it once more, just so we’re clear…