The fine print, in plain English

Terms of use and disclaimer

By using this site you agree to these terms. They are short, and they are written to be read.

Use this site at your own risk

The Data Center Debate is an educational reference, offered free, as is. We work hard to be accurate: every claim is tied to a numbered source, sources are labeled with who funded them, and corrections ship with a public changelog note. But we do not warrant that anything here is complete, current, or error free. Studies get revised, projects get cancelled, numbers get corrected upstream, and despite our best efforts we can make mistakes. Do not rely on this site for any decision without checking the underlying source yourself. That is what the source links are for. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the site and its operator are not liable for any loss or damage arising from use of this site or anything it links to.

This is not professional advice

Nothing on this site is legal, financial, investment, tax, engineering, or other professional advice, and nothing here creates any professional relationship. If a data center fight is headed to your county board, your utility commission, or your courtroom, talk to a qualified professional who is on your side of the table.

What we are, and what we are not

This site does not take a side in the data center debate and does not advocate for or against any project, company, candidate, or ballot measure. Presenting an argument here means real advocates make it, not that we endorse it. External links, including every source we cite, lead to material we do not control and do not endorse.

Errors and corrections

If you find an error, tell us through the contact form. Corrections are reviewed, applied, and logged publicly. We would rather be corrected than be wrong.

Using our material

You are welcome to quote, cite, share, and link this site, including the handbook, for education, journalism, debate prep, and civic argument, with attribution to datacenterdebate.com. Cite the primary sources directly whenever you can; that is better practice than citing us. Do not republish the site wholesale, and do not present our material as endorsing your side, because it does not. Facility data on the map is from OpenStreetMap contributors under the Open Database License.

Contributions

Reader contributions are voluntary payments that help cover hosting and upkeep. They are not donations to a charity, are not tax deductible, purchase nothing, and confer no influence over content. Contributions are generally not refundable, but if you made one in error, use the contact form and we will make it right.

Privacy

Covered separately, in the same plain English: the privacy page. Short version: no tracking cookies, no accounts, no ads, anonymous counting.

Changes

If these terms change, the change ships like any other: dated, in the changelog. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated terms. These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, United States.

Last updated September 19, 2026. This page is written in good faith by the site's operator, who is not a law firm; it is not a substitute for legal advice about your own situation.