2025 was a challenging year for public data, but the deep engagement of the data user community has been a silver lining.
As threats to public data grew, so did data user engagement. We witnessed the inception of numerous tracking, education, and advocacy initiatives; the reinvigoration of long-standing efforts; overwhelming volunteerism; and increased media attention to data integrity.
All of these signs give us hope, and we want to thank you for coming together to support public data. In addition, we recognize that you have all been incredibly busy, so to be respectful of your time, we’re sharing this “year in review” in lieu of a live business meeting.
As we reflect on this past year at APDU, we think the following data points paint a clear picture of the work we’ve done on your behalf:
- 1 unConference for members to share knowledge and discuss issues of concern including availability, quality, and timeliness of public data; brainstorm about the future of public data; and inform APDU’s work.
- 2 days of Data Integrity Summit work to understand what members and subject matter experts see as the biggest risks to public data. We recommend reading the report, but the key concerns are: transparency, data quality, privacy, and public education about data.
- 3 Taking Stock conversations, with subject experts, to reflect on the public data and evidence ecosystem.
- 4 public statements on changes in federal data infrastructure, including one of the nation’s first statements on the January 2025 erasure of public data from government websites.
- 5 Town Halls on topics ranging from digital security to the dissolution of federal scientific advisory committees.
- 6 blog posts on data integrity topics, including the wildly popular A Day in the Life With Federal Government Data.
- 9 briefings (5 State-of-Data and 4 Rapid Response), in collaboration with dataindex, FAS, PRB, and others to increase awareness of risks facing federal data and to equip the public with tools for how to respond. Through those briefings, we reached more than 1,500 participants.
- 11 letters signed to support the federal statistical system.
- 12 monthly newsletters circulated to keep members up-to-date on news, events, data releases, and data advocacy.
- 30+ publicly-available slides, updated monthly, that anyone can use to stay informed and/or brief their networks about changes to federal data.
Plus, in response to member concerns, we are launching a new initiative on data privacy. We’ll be sharing resources from that initiative in the new year.
In the year ahead it will remain critical to continue to advocate for public data integrity.
If you appreciate this work, please consider renewing your membership now.