Government Information Data Rescue Guide

Below is a concise guide to help you locate US federal government data that may have been removed or redacted following the Presidential Executive Orders that went into effect on January 31, 2025. Please note that this guide only covers how to find removed information. For current or active government data, you should use Data.gov, which remains the best resource for discovering existing federal data. 

Retrieving Rescued Federal Data and Websites

1. Confirm the Data Has Actually Been Removed

Before you begin searching for rescued data, it's a good idea to double-check that the information is truly gone from official sources:

If you have confirmed that the data or information is missing, move on to archival resources.

• Search Data.gov to ensure it's not still listed there.
• Visit the agency's current website to see if the dataset or page has simply been relocated.

1. Use the Internet Archive Wayback Machine

   The Internet Archive Wayback Machine is the largest web archive, capturing snapshots of websites across the internet over time. It allows you to view websites as they appeared on specific dates in the past.

   By entering a URL in the Wayback Machine site, you can see archived versions of that site from different dates, effectively allowing you to go back in time and recover content that might have been removed or changed.

   How to Search with Gov Wayback

   Gov Wayback is a specialized tool that helps locate federal websites in the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. By appending wayback.org to the URL of a .gov website, you will be automatically directed to that webpage's record within the Internet Archive. Be aware that while this tool works with many .gov domains, it is not comprehensive.

2. Check the with Data Rescue Project's Data Rescue Tracker

   If you are looking for a dataset and cannot find the data you need in the Wayback Machine, the Data Rescue Project may have archived it. They maintain the Data Rescue Tracker, which lists rescued datasets along with links to where they have been archived. The Data Rescue Tracker is continually being updated, but it is not comprehensive.

   If your dataset or information is not listed, proceed to check other archives.

Locating Potentially Redacted Websites

If you suspect that a government webpage has been edited or partially redacted (rather than fully removed):

• Compare archived versions of the same page using the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Look for differences between older snapshots and more recent ones.
• Check the End of Term Archive. The End of Term (EOT) Archive is a collaborative project that systematically saves U.S. government websites during the transition between administrations. Since it focuses on capturing a broad swath of federal web content at key points, it might have a version that predates any redactions.
• The Webrecorder US Government Web Archive is a subset of the End of Term (EOT) Archive where the websites have been turned into standalone mirror sites that replicate not just the content, but organization of the original website. Some users may find these easier to navigate.

For Those Seeking to Confirm Undocumented Data Redactions

If you suspect that the data you have access to may have been changed or partially removed without any official notice, the general steps outlined above still apply but with a slightly different focus:

1. Compare Snapshots of the Same Dataset or Webpage

   • Use the Internet Archive Wayback Machine to retrieve older versions of the webpage or dataset you're examining.
   • Compare the current version and the archived versions side by side to see if any variables, fields, or sections appear altered or missing.
   • Tools like Diffchecker and others can help you systematically compare files to locate specific changes.

2. Check for Metadata or File Size Discrepancies

   • Look at file sizes, timestamps, and metadata (like the date of last modification) to see if anything changed unexpectedly.
   • Reductions in file size or missing metadata can be indicators that parts of the data might have been removed.

3. Look for References to the Data in Other Sources

   If the data in question was cited by academic articles, reports, or news stories, see if the version they reference differs from what is now publicly available. This can help you confirm that a redaction or change has occurred.

Conclusion

While Presidential Executive Orders may have led to the removal or redaction of certain data, there are numerous archived sources that can help you recover or compare older versions of government websites and datasets. Always begin by confirming that the information has truly been removed or altered. If it has, work through the tools below in this general order:

• Data.gov - Confirm the data is not active or relocated.
• Internet Archive Wayback Machine - Locate past versions of web pages.
• Data Rescue Project's Data Rescue Tracker - Check for rescued datasets.
• Other Archives - Consult relevant domain-specific or institutional repositories.