Concerns Over Scrubbing of Government Data: A Growing Issue for Public Health Research

by Jon Scaccia January 30, 2025

Recently, users on Reddit raised alarms about a significant decrease in datasets available on Data.gov, the U.S. government’s open data portal. In just a few weeks, over 2,000 datasets were removed, prompting concerns about transparency and access to crucial public health data.

The drop in datasets was particularly noticeable between January 21 and 25, with substantial losses from the Department of Energy’s section. This removal of data has sparked debates about potential censorship, particularly regarding topics like climate change, immigration, and social issues, which are often reliant on government data.

Many public health professionals and researchers rely on open data to inform their work, from tracking disease outbreaks to studying environmental health. The scrubbing of this data raises questions about the availability and accessibility of important health-related information that may influence policy decisions. As some users have suggested, there is a need for alternative archives to ensure that vital data is preserved for future use.

As the situation unfolds, it’s critical for the public health community to advocate for the protection of open data sources to support informed decision-making and ensure that public health research remains robust and transparent. Researchers are encouraged to back up any data they rely on while calling for more accountability in the management of government datasets.

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