Pittsburg data center fight sends high school junior viral on TikTok
Sadie Cisneros ripped a Bay Area data center plan at a council meeting as Avaio Digital touts a 99-megawatt project.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
A proposed Pittsburg data center in the San Francisco Bay Area has turned a local planning fight into a TikTok spectacle after high school junior Sadie Cisneros blasted the project during a city council meeting.
In video posted to the TikTok account @sadieliftsss, Cisneros speaks against the planned facility and argues that it would harm residents, natural resources, animals and quality of life. TMZ reported that she cited scientists while making her case and accused city council members of corruption, including saying they were “killing us.”
The clip of her council remarks has drawn more than 1.7 million views on TikTok, according to TMZ. A separate video showing Cisneros preparing to attend the meeting has reached 9.2 million views, the outlet reported.
What is the Pittsburg data center project?
The project is being developed by Avaio Digital and is called “Perseus,” according to TMZ. The company says the data center would have a 99-megawatt capacity.
A data center is a facility built to house computer servers and networking equipment. Such sites can require large amounts of electricity and cooling, which is why they often draw scrutiny from nearby residents and environmental critics.
TMZ reported that the data center was approved last year, though residents say they only became aware of the plans recently. The facility is planned for a closed municipal golf course, according to the report.
What does Avaio Digital say about the facility?
Avaio Digital has said the Perseus project would be mostly air-cooled and would use recycled water, according to TMZ. Those details appear aimed at addressing two of the biggest flashpoints around data centers: water use and heat management.
Cisneros and other residents remain opposed, according to TMZ, with the student’s council appearance becoming the clearest viral snapshot of the local backlash.
The fight lands amid broader attention on data centers as demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing keeps rising. The Pittsburgh dispute, as reported by TMZ, is focused on one proposed facility, one former golf course and a group of residents who say the city did not properly keep them in the loop.
For now, Cisneros is the face of the pushback online. Her remarks at a local government meeting, filmed and shared on TikTok, have traveled far beyond Pittsburg and put a city-level data center decision in front of millions of viewers.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.