In January 2025, the current administration began removing crucial data from public, federal government websites. The New York Times found that at least 8,000 websites were taken down on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Public data and statistics support everyone in the United States by allowing for informed decision-making. To this end, UC Merced Library is sharing some alternative sources to find federal data that has been archived or published by other entities.
The articles below are a selection of news, blogs, and reports from recent weeks. This information gives context to why this guide exists and why efforts to preserve data are important.
Yes; however, this current situation is exacerbated by the lack of legislation and infrastructure in the digital age. James A. Jacobs (Data Services Librarian Emeritus, UC San Diego) explains in The government information crisis is bigger than you think it is: "Because change is normal [in a democracy], it is essential to preserve government information – even 'non-current' and 'out of date' information – in order to document those changes. [...] published government information is the evidence for a democracy, its preservation is essential. [...] The current crisis of imminent loss of information exists not only because government information is being changed, but because it is being erased."
See also: the Other Efforts & Resources page in this guide.
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