Embedded Files
A project that tracks removed, modified, and impacted federal government information & resources
A project that tracks removed, modified, and impacted federal government information & resources
What's going on with Government Information?
What's going on with Government Information?
The news media has widely reported the current U.S. administration's removal and modification of federal websites and information. As academic librarians, we have also heard from faculty and researchers about their work being removed without notice, and received many questions from academics and the public about how widespread this phenomena is.
Librarians, data experts, and others have launched many excellent projects to preserve missing information and data. In particular, we take inspiration from projects including the long-standing End of Term Archive, the newer Data Rescue Project, and many others. While removed or threatened data has been well-tracked by various data rescue groups, we hope to supplement these efforts by focusing on tracking non-data materials and information that have been impacted.
What is the Tracking Government Information project?
What is the Tracking Government Information project?
We are tracking actions by the current administration that impact government information, such as: removed or modified documents and websites; language censorship; suspension or elimination of agencies, program, funding, or services; and collection of government data.
Our Goals:
Our Goals:
Help the public see the scope of what has been removed, modified, or impacted
Point to where preserved copies of missing documents can be found, when possible
Short link to this project page: https://z.umn.edu/trackgovinfosite
Submission Form
Submission Form
Anyone can add entries for missing or impacted government information using this submission form.
Government Information Tracker (GIT)
Government Information Tracker (GIT)
View the list of entries we have received so far. We will make edits on the backend of the spreadsheet to tidy it up as needed.
Process
Process
If you find a document or resource that has been removed or censored, please enter it into the Submission Form above. You can skip any fields you're not sure about!
The entries go into our queue on the back end.
We will make an effort to edit entries to make them more clear and complete, then copy them into the public Gov Info Tracker spreadsheet.
Typically we will copy entries into the public spreadsheet within 24 hrs.
We will not include the content submitter's name, initials, or personally identifiable information in the public spreadsheet.
As time allows, we will combine duplicates into a single entry, and add updates to old entries when relevant.
Anyone in the public can view the public Gov Info Tracker spreadsheet.
Thank you for your help compiling this list!
Important Note
Important Note
Because this is a community project, with user-submitted information, we cannot guarantee that entries are accurate or complete. We will make an effort to edit entries for clarity and completeness as time allows.
There is a place on the submission form where you can include your name or initials if you choose, or you can leave it blank. We are not collecting emails, and we will not post names or initials on the public version of the spreadsheet. This form and spreadsheet are created within the University of Minnesota Google Workspace for Education suite of tools. We will not publish identifying information but cannot guarantee anonymity due to technical and/or legal factors outside of our control.
Tips for Using the Spreadsheet
Tips for Using the Spreadsheet
How to search for keywords
How to search for keywords
On a PC, use the keyboard shortcut Control+F (Ctrl+F); on a Mac, use Command+F (⌘F). This will open a search box where you can search the spreadsheet for any keyword or phrase.
We are also in the process of creating a search interface to make the tracker more user-friendly.
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Research Guides:
University of Minnesota: Finding Government Information during the 2025 Administration Transition
UC San Diego: U.S. Government Information: Weekly Roundup
Government Information & Data Preservation Projects:
Things you can do:
Help us add to this tracking spreadsheet! We appreciate you!
See Something, Save Something: help preserve websites with the Wayback Machine browser extensions
Contact your representatives: tell them why public information and data needs to stay public
Contact Us
Contact Us
The project leads are four academic librarians. Many colleagues around the country have provided assistance and feedback. If you'd like to help with this project, or have questions or suggestions, you can contact us at:
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