Datasets from Data.gov Have Disappeared

Since President Trump's inauguration, nearly 3,000 datasets have been removed from Data.gov, the U.S. government's open data repository. The total number of datasets decreased from 307,854 to 305,564. Digital archivists are investigating the reasons behind these deletions, which may include both intentional data scrubbing and routine changes associated with a new administration. Some deletions could be attributed to link rot or the migration of data to other platforms, as there is no standardized archiving process for federal agencies. Historical patterns show that dataset removals often occur during transitions between administrations. For instance, when President Biden took office, approximately 1,000 datasets were also deleted. The investigation indicates that the datasets removed under Trump disproportionately come from environmental agencies, reflecting a broader trend of altering or removing climate-related information. Trump's administration has also been noted for its executive orders aimed at eliminating data related to gender identity and diversity initiatives, aligning with his agenda to counter what he terms "wokeness." The complexity of determining the motivations behind these deletions necessitates thorough manual research.

- Nearly 3,000 datasets have been removed from Data.gov since Trump's inauguration.

- The deletions may result from both intentional actions and routine administrative changes.

- Historical data removal patterns show similar trends during transitions between administrations.

- Environmental science agencies have been particularly affected by the dataset deletions.

- Trump's administration has focused on removing data related to climate change and diversity initiatives.