Table of Contents
Following recent midterm elections where Democrats regained control of both congressional chambers, tech critics and voters are questioning if artificial intelligence drove the vote. Candidates across party lines campaigned against AI and its infrastructure, setting the stage for potential legislative crackdowns on major technology companies.
The Data Center Backlash
Data centers emerged as a central flashpoint during the midterms due to their heavy consumption of electricity and water at the expense of local communities. Voters rejected more than 40 ballot measures designed to support data facilities nationwide. Paris Marx, a tech critic and podcast host, stated to CNET that short-term action will likely happen locally and regionally, with governments potentially adopting moratoriums similar to New York’s previous pause to manage environmental impacts and electricity demand.
Samir Jain, vice president of policy at the Center for Democracy and Technology, told CNET that data centers reflect a broader issue where technology firms prioritize winning the global artificial intelligence race over everyday human impacts. Jain noted that the widespread public pushback against these facilities serves as a clear rejection of that technological approach.
Starting With Consumer Privacy
Policy experts and critics emphasize that any serious legislative effort to regulate technology must begin with consumer data privacy. India McKinney, director of federal affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told CNET that consumer data privacy offers the clearest path forward for lawmakers wanting to curb unchecked industry power.
The United States currently lacks comprehensive federal privacy legislation, leaving a core revenue driver for companies largely untouched. Kinsey Fabrizio, president of the Consumer Technology Association, told CNET that strong potential exists for bipartisan progress on a national privacy law. Privacy concerns have intensified alongside artificial intelligence adoption, as AI models consume vast amounts of user information without clear consumer consent or control regarding subsequent use by law enforcement, employers, or data brokers.
Bipartisan Momentum and Big Tech Spending
Although Democrats secured majorities in Congress, many contentious technology issues retain bipartisan backing, which previously led to measures like the Take It Down Act passing nearly unanimously in 2025. Marx told CNET that technology companies will likely continue urging lawmakers to concentrate on speculative existential risks rather than tangible current harms caused by data centers and surveillance.
Despite heavy financial backing from technology leaders like Elon Musk for Republican campaigns, experts indicate the election results signal a public mandate to hold corporations accountable. McKinney told CNET that with an emboldened electorate willing to confront powerful entities, lawmakers have both the power and the obligation to protect their constituents.
