CDC data are disappearing (theatlantic.com)

Article summary

The CDC has removed scientific data from its website, including content related to gender, DEI, and accessibility, in compliance with the Trump administration's executive orders. This move has sparked concerns among scientists and researchers, who rely on this data to track diseases and health conditions. The removal of this data could limit the ability to identify which Americans are most at risk from various health conditions and make it harder to serve specific communities. The full scope of the data purge is not yet clear, but it has already affected several datasets, including the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Social Vulnerability Index.

Main themes

• Data removal
• CDC policy changes
• Public health implications
• Government transparency
• Scientific integrity
• Health equity

What commenters say

• The removal of CDC data is a deliberate attempt to undermine science and govern through fear, rather than a genuine effort to improve public health.
• The data removal will disproportionately affect marginalized communities, who rely on this information to access healthcare and health resources.
• The move is part of a broader effort to seize control of government institutions and suppress dissenting voices, rather than a legitimate policy change.
• The removal of data will not significantly impact the general public, as they do not typically access or use this information directly, but it will affect professionals who rely on it to make informed decisions.
• The data removal is a form of mass censorship, and it is the responsibility of the tech community to find ways to route around it and preserve access to the information.
• The Trump administration's actions are a manifestation of fascism, and the removal of CDC data is just one example of a broader effort to undermine democratic institutions and suppress dissent.
• The data removal is a consequence of the politicization of science and the erosion of trust in institutions, and it will have long-term consequences for public health and scientific research.
• The removal of CDC data can be mitigated through the use of alternative sources, such as state-level data or archived versions of the removed information, but this will require significant effort and resources.