Alt18F
@alt18f.bsky.social
Delivered effective, efficient, and secure digital services for the American people until we were forced to stop on March 1, 2025. Not an official government account. Reposts are not endorsements. Our new website: https://18f.org/ #AltGov
"It's hard to see [accessibility issues on new .gov sites] as anything but a deliberate choice. That also sends a clear message of who this administration feels has a place in American life, who is worthy enough to access information and services and who is not worth their time."
Last week I hade the opportunity to speak at @dotgovdesign.bsky.social about accessibility in the civic tech space, why we should all start using assistive tech, and why improving our skills as practitioners is so critically important in this moment. jaredcunha.com/blog/dotgov-...
My talk for DotGov Design 2025
I had the opportunity to speak at the 2025 DotGov Design conference. My talk was titled “Design for Accessibility and Inclusiveness in Civic Space” which covered topics such as why it's so important t...
jaredcunha.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM
"It's hard to see [accessibility issues on new .gov sites] as anything but a deliberate choice. That also sends a clear message of who this administration feels has a place in American life, who is worthy enough to access information and services and who is not worth their time."
From 18F alum @matthenry.fyi: "If [sites like America By Design] are any indication of what was coming down the pike as the future of government websites, it's a bad sign for the people who have to build and maintain those sites, it's a bad sign for USWDS, and it's a bad sign for you as a user ... "
That’s a wrap on my federal service. I wrote about my time in gov, and how it ended. matthenry.fyi/posts/moving... 1/
Mischief & Craft - Moving On
Thoughts at the end of a really bad, horrible, no good year.
matthenry.fyi
November 18, 2025 at 8:38 PM
From 18F alum @matthenry.fyi: "If [sites like America By Design] are any indication of what was coming down the pike as the future of government websites, it's a bad sign for the people who have to build and maintain those sites, it's a bad sign for USWDS, and it's a bad sign for you as a user ... "
Reposted by Alt18F
Cool to see this state-level design system tracker by @beeckcenter.bsky.social. Contrary to the beliefs of some—design is so much more than branding and beauty. And it looks like at least MD and NJ are using USWDS as a base (and maybe soon CO).
digitalgovernmenthub.org/publications...
digitalgovernmenthub.org/publications...
State-Level Design System Tracker - Digital Government Hub
This publication explores how centralized design systems help state governments deliver more consistent, accessible, and people-centered digital services, supported by a new tracker mapping design sys...
digitalgovernmenthub.org
November 8, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Cool to see this state-level design system tracker by @beeckcenter.bsky.social. Contrary to the beliefs of some—design is so much more than branding and beauty. And it looks like at least MD and NJ are using USWDS as a base (and maybe soon CO).
digitalgovernmenthub.org/publications...
digitalgovernmenthub.org/publications...
Reposted by Alt18F
🏆 Join us Dec 2 for the Digital Service Champions Awards!
Celebrating government teams & civic tech champions transforming how digital services meet community needs. Free virtual event, 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
RSVP: usdigitalresponse-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#CivicTech #GovTech #DigitalGovernment
Celebrating government teams & civic tech champions transforming how digital services meet community needs. Free virtual event, 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
RSVP: usdigitalresponse-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#CivicTech #GovTech #DigitalGovernment
November 4, 2025 at 5:59 PM
🏆 Join us Dec 2 for the Digital Service Champions Awards!
Celebrating government teams & civic tech champions transforming how digital services meet community needs. Free virtual event, 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
RSVP: usdigitalresponse-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#CivicTech #GovTech #DigitalGovernment
Celebrating government teams & civic tech champions transforming how digital services meet community needs. Free virtual event, 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
RSVP: usdigitalresponse-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
#CivicTech #GovTech #DigitalGovernment
The administration has pulled the plug on IRS Direct File, a tool that helped eligible taxpayers file for free. This decision comes despite Direct File’s immense popularity with its users.
Direct File won’t happen in 2026, IRS tells states
The free service that allowed taxpayers to file online directly with the IRS was used by hundreds of thousands of taxpayers in 2024 and 2025, who gave it high marks — although tax prep companies and R...
www.nextgov.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The administration has pulled the plug on IRS Direct File, a tool that helped eligible taxpayers file for free. This decision comes despite Direct File’s immense popularity with its users.
Reposted by Alt18F
A new .gov domain was registered yesterday: techforce.gov. It resolves to an auth page that identifies it as part of the National Design Studio.
Trump and Musk eliminated 18F and destroyed USDS, and now the feds are scrambling to rebuild the capacity that they destroyed.
Trump and Musk eliminated 18F and destroyed USDS, and now the feds are scrambling to rebuild the capacity that they destroyed.
October 30, 2025 at 3:58 PM
A new .gov domain was registered yesterday: techforce.gov. It resolves to an auth page that identifies it as part of the National Design Studio.
Trump and Musk eliminated 18F and destroyed USDS, and now the feds are scrambling to rebuild the capacity that they destroyed.
Trump and Musk eliminated 18F and destroyed USDS, and now the feds are scrambling to rebuild the capacity that they destroyed.
“[Borges] ... told his young child he had to make a difficult decision. 'I said that sometimes you make difficult choices, sometimes you have to do what’s right. My child understands right and wrong, and sometimes even doing what’s right has consequences.'"
He accused DOGE of risking Social Security data. It cost him his career.
Charles Borges says Musk’s cost-cutting team uploaded a copy of a mainframe database containing the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
“[Borges] ... told his young child he had to make a difficult decision. 'I said that sometimes you make difficult choices, sometimes you have to do what’s right. My child understands right and wrong, and sometimes even doing what’s right has consequences.'"
" ... DOGE is jeopardizing Americans’ most sensitive data, while its employees operate under a layer of secrecy that shields them from meaningful oversight and accountability. This environment results in serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities, privacy violations, and risk of corruption ... "
yeah, once more with a cover photo - I really, really encourage all tech folks to read this
October 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
" ... DOGE is jeopardizing Americans’ most sensitive data, while its employees operate under a layer of secrecy that shields them from meaningful oversight and accountability. This environment results in serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities, privacy violations, and risk of corruption ... "
Our thoughts are with the public servants caught up in the latest round of RIF notices. We've said this before, and we'll repeat it now: You matter. Your work matters.
OMB says ‘substantial’ federal employee layoffs have begun
Just before the shutdown, OMB told agencies to draft RIF plans for programs that wouldn’t have alternative funding sources.
federalnewsnetwork.com
October 12, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Our thoughts are with the public servants caught up in the latest round of RIF notices. We've said this before, and we'll repeat it now: You matter. Your work matters.
"What sets Kupor’s efforts to attract tech talent apart from his predecessors' is the fact that they come after sweeping cuts pushed by DOGE. ... The entire 18F office at the General Services Administration ... was laid off in the spring."
How Trump’s OPM director wants to attract tech talent after months of workforce cuts
OPM Director Scott Kupor wants to bring on new feds with cutting edge skills, but the government’s recent flood of layoffs and resignations could complicate that effort. With a government shutdown ong...
www.nextgov.com
October 9, 2025 at 10:04 PM
"What sets Kupor’s efforts to attract tech talent apart from his predecessors' is the fact that they come after sweeping cuts pushed by DOGE. ... The entire 18F office at the General Services Administration ... was laid off in the spring."
Our friends at @usdigitalresponse.org are hosting the 2025 Digital Service Champions Awards to recognize folks doing great work in #civictech. Nominations close this Friday, October 10. ⏳
Government awards: usdr.link/champions-government
Individual awards: usdr.link/champions-individual
Government awards: usdr.link/champions-government
Individual awards: usdr.link/champions-individual
October 8, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Our friends at @usdigitalresponse.org are hosting the 2025 Digital Service Champions Awards to recognize folks doing great work in #civictech. Nominations close this Friday, October 10. ⏳
Government awards: usdr.link/champions-government
Individual awards: usdr.link/champions-individual
Government awards: usdr.link/champions-government
Individual awards: usdr.link/champions-individual
🗣️ We're hosting an archival version of "plainlanguage.gov" to help make sure this trusted resource remains available to folks who need it.
plainlanguage.gov | Home
Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government communications.
plainlanguage.18f.org
October 7, 2025 at 8:06 PM
🗣️ We're hosting an archival version of "plainlanguage.gov" to help make sure this trusted resource remains available to folks who need it.
"The inspector general’s office for the General Services Administration ... said it will look at the impact of several DOGE-backed projects at GSA—including its mass termination of government leases and its decision to shutter its tech office 18F."
Agency watchdog will see if DOGE-led projects improved efficiency
DOGE officials no longer take up residence in GSA’s headquarters. But its legacy on government operations will be a priority for its IG office in FY 2026.
federalnewsnetwork.com
September 29, 2025 at 7:26 PM
"The inspector general’s office for the General Services Administration ... said it will look at the impact of several DOGE-backed projects at GSA—including its mass termination of government leases and its decision to shutter its tech office 18F."
"Bringing new tech into the government requires a deep understanding of how it works at every level, from hiring to budgeting and procurement policy. But ... the DOGE team did not try to understand how the government worked."
One in eight federal workers, or some 300,000, will have left the government by the end of the year, and it’s possible even more could be pushed out if the government shuts down next week. In interviews, some former federal workers shared what they left behind and what they face next.
Former Federal Workers on the Cost of Trump's Cuts
The New York Times photographed and interviewed two dozen former federal workers from across the country to get a sense of what they left behind and what they face next.
nyti.ms
September 28, 2025 at 11:51 PM
"Bringing new tech into the government requires a deep understanding of how it works at every level, from hiring to budgeting and procurement policy. But ... the DOGE team did not try to understand how the government worked."
Reposted by Alt18F
Hey all, I'm trying a new layout for some tables in DOGE track to hopefully make things a little easier to follow. I'm really liking it, but let me know feedback!
dogetrack.info/agencies/gsa/
dogetrack.info/agencies/gsa/
General Services Administration
The DOGE staff and activities at the US General Services Administration (GSA).
dogetrack.info
September 22, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Hey all, I'm trying a new layout for some tables in DOGE track to hopefully make things a little easier to follow. I'm really liking it, but let me know feedback!
dogetrack.info/agencies/gsa/
dogetrack.info/agencies/gsa/
Reposted by Alt18F
When bad design isn’t a mistake, it’s the strategy. The “America by Design” initiative isn’t just a messy website. It redefines design itself, away from accessibility and toward exclusion, erasure, and control. Latest essay by @emcg.bsky.social
Authoritarian by design - DesignObserver
The "America by Design" initiative, issued by the Trump administration, pushes a harmful narrative with questionable visuals
designobserver.com
September 12, 2025 at 5:32 PM
When bad design isn’t a mistake, it’s the strategy. The “America by Design” initiative isn’t just a messy website. It redefines design itself, away from accessibility and toward exclusion, erasure, and control. Latest essay by @emcg.bsky.social
“I hope that [future administrations] pick the tax work back up where it was, which was a lot of momentum. And I hope they take that same energy across the rest of the government. I’m a firm believer, government can be a force for good in people’s lives."
Direct File died under Trump. Meet the creators planning for its second life
After building the IRS’s free electronic filing tool, the Economic Security Project’s Future of Tax Filing fellows are writing a playbook for it to “come back someday” — and pushing for more.
fedscoop.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
“I hope that [future administrations] pick the tax work back up where it was, which was a lot of momentum. And I hope they take that same energy across the rest of the government. I’m a firm believer, government can be a force for good in people’s lives."
Reposted by Alt18F
Are you a civil servant looking for resources? Protect Democracy put together this curated list to help you navigate attacks on the federal workforce. Read, bookmark and share: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/resources-for-civil-servants/
September 9, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Are you a civil servant looking for resources? Protect Democracy put together this curated list to help you navigate attacks on the federal workforce. Read, bookmark and share: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/resources-for-civil-servants/
Reposted by Alt18F
@Erie.bsky.social accepting the EFF Award: “Speaking up is hard and it's scary. But it will only get harder and scarier from here. The best time to do it was yesterday. The second-best time is today. These are not choices we will always have.”
September 11, 2025 at 3:20 AM
@Erie.bsky.social accepting the EFF Award: “Speaking up is hard and it's scary. But it will only get harder and scarier from here. The best time to do it was yesterday. The second-best time is today. These are not choices we will always have.”
"The shock troops of DOGE, at the Social Security Administration and myriad other federal agencies, were the advance guard ... . And despite the highly public departure of DOGE’s leader, Elon Musk, that campaign continues today."
The Untold Saga of What Happened When DOGE Stormed Social Security
DOGE has ignored urgently needed reforms and upgrades at the Social Security Administration, according to dozens of insiders and 15 hours of candid interviews with the former acting chief of the agenc...
www.propublica.org
September 9, 2025 at 3:53 PM
"The shock troops of DOGE, at the Social Security Administration and myriad other federal agencies, were the advance guard ... . And despite the highly public departure of DOGE’s leader, Elon Musk, that campaign continues today."
"In three reports released between 2021 and 2022, the [18F] consultants recommended that the courts immediately build a new case-management system, one that would address not only security, but broader issues like user experience and the complexity of software changes made by individual courts."
Federal Courts Slow to Fix Vulnerable System After Repeated Hacking
www.nytimes.com
September 3, 2025 at 5:32 PM
"In three reports released between 2021 and 2022, the [18F] consultants recommended that the courts immediately build a new case-management system, one that would address not only security, but broader issues like user experience and the complexity of software changes made by individual courts."
Whistleblower reports, letters of dissent, appeals, refusals, resignations—this week saw many civil servants taking personal risks to honor their oath and serve the public interest the best they can. We recognize your courage. 🇺🇸
August 29, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Whistleblower reports, letters of dissent, appeals, refusals, resignations—this week saw many civil servants taking personal risks to honor their oath and serve the public interest the best they can. We recognize your courage. 🇺🇸
Reposted by Alt18F
Breaking News: DOGE put the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans at risk by uploading Social Security data to a vulnerable cloud server, a whistle-blower complaint said.
DOGE Put Critical Social Security Data at Risk, Whistle-Blower Says
DOGE team members uploaded a database with the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans to a vulnerable cloud server, according to the agency’s chief data officer.
nyti.ms
August 26, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Breaking News: DOGE put the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans at risk by uploading Social Security data to a vulnerable cloud server, a whistle-blower complaint said.
Reposted by Alt18F
This WaPo piece about the Airbnb/DOGE guy who is now the head of design in government ignores that:
*DOGE fired the actual talented design people in government, including Social Security!
*IRS had a beautifully designed tax filing system that DOGE killed
*USDS already did online passport renewals
*DOGE fired the actual talented design people in government, including Social Security!
*IRS had a beautifully designed tax filing system that DOGE killed
*USDS already did online passport renewals
August 26, 2025 at 12:56 PM
This WaPo piece about the Airbnb/DOGE guy who is now the head of design in government ignores that:
*DOGE fired the actual talented design people in government, including Social Security!
*IRS had a beautifully designed tax filing system that DOGE killed
*USDS already did online passport renewals
*DOGE fired the actual talented design people in government, including Social Security!
*IRS had a beautifully designed tax filing system that DOGE killed
*USDS already did online passport renewals