In January, researchers noted the sudden removal of approximately 2,000 data sets from Data.gov, along with significant historical content related to Black soldiers and notable figures like Jackie Robinson. This trend suggests a deliberate strategy from the Trump administration to delete information as a political maneuver, severely impacting public access to essential knowledge and historical records. The administration's use of encrypted messaging apps like Signal further highlights the intentional nature of these deletions, raising concerns about the implications for democratic accountability and the preservation of history by governmental institutions.
Researchers logging onto the website Data.gov in January discovered a digital void where roughly 2,000 data sets were once cataloged. No warning, no explanation just the quiet deletion of knowledge.
While database updates and website changes are routine, this is probably the first time Americans are witnessing deletion weaponized on a large scale as a political tool.
The administration is seemingly pursuing deletion as a means of control. It's kind of like leaving a weed. If you don't remove the roots of the weed, then it is easy for the weed to grow back.
Signal and similar apps essentially create black holes in democratic accountability, systematically undermining proper record keeping to circumvent public oversight.
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