Finding Crucial Data in Authoritarian States
This guide is based on "CitizINFO: Free Resources for Informed U.S. Citizens," a curated collection originally compiled by Brie McReynolds. The content has been reorganized and enhanced while maintaining the core resource list.
Democracy works best with informed citizens. This guide organizes essential resources based on your needs as an engaged citizen. Whether you're fact-checking a claim, researching policy, or diving deep into data, you'll find the right tools here.
Core Research Tools
Fact-Checking
"Is this claim true?"
- Political statements → PolitiFact
- Viral content → Reuters Fact Check
- In-depth analysis → FactCheck.org
- Government data → USA Facts
Government Transparency
"What are my representatives doing?"
- Track legislation → GovTrack.us
- Supreme Court coverage → SCOTUSblog
- Laws and regulations → Legal Information Institute
- Congressional stock trades → CapitolTrades
Money in Politics
"Who's funding this?"
- Campaign finance → OpenSecrets
- Non-profit research → ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Data & Analysis
Economic Data
"What do the numbers tell us?"
- Federal Reserve data → FRED Economic Data
- Wealth distribution
- Economic indicators
- Historical trends
- International comparisons → OECD Data
Healthcare Policy
"How does our healthcare system work?"
- Policy analysis → KFF
Academic Research
"What does the research say?"
- Research data → Harvard Dataverse
Global Rankings & Reports
Government & Society
"How does the U.S. compare globally?"
- Freedom measures → Freedom in the World
- Rule of law → World Justice Project
- Religious freedom → USCIRF Annual Report
- Press freedom → Reporters Without Borders
- Economic freedom → Heritage Foundation Index
- Prosperity → Legatum Institute
Development & Wellbeing
- Human development → UN Human Development Reports
- Gender equality → World Economic Forum
- Youth development → Commonwealth
- Happiness levels → World Happiness Report
Environment & Infrastructure
- Environmental performance → Yale EPI
- Climate action → CCPI
- Health statistics → WHO
- Trade logistics → World Bank LPI
- Digital readiness → Portulans Institute
Risk Assessment
- Global risks → World Economic Forum Risks Report
News & Media Analysis
Media Bias Tools
"What's the full story?"
- Compare coverage → Ground News
- Check bias ratings → Media Bias/Fact Check
- Multiple perspectives → AllSides
- Source reliability → Ad Fontes Media
Regular Analysis
Daily Briefings
"Keep me informed daily..."
- Quick updates → NPR Up First
- Deep dives → The Daily
- Business focus → The Journal
- Global perspective → BBC Global News Podcast
- Economic insight → The Economist Podcasts
Specialized Coverage
"I want expert analysis..."
- Supreme Court analysis → Strict Scrutiny
- Legal commentary → Advisory Opinions
- Progressive politics → Pod Save America
- Current events → PBS Washington Week
- Conservative perspective → The Bulwark Podcast
Newsletters
"Send it to my inbox..."
- Conservative reform → The Bulwark
- Historical context → Letters from an American
- Authoritarianism study → Lucid
- Healthcare policy → Abortion, Every Day
- Policy analysis → Freya Zank
Social Media Voices
"Who should I follow on Bluesky?"
Political Commentary:
Journalism:
Organizations:
Policy & Analysis:
Stay Updated
This guide is current as of February 2025. As the digital landscape evolves, new tools emerge while others may become outdated. Regularly check these resources' home pages for the most current information and tools.