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?"

Government Transparency

"What are my representatives doing?"

Money in Politics

"Who's funding this?"

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?"

Global Rankings & Reports

Government & Society

"How does the U.S. compare globally?"

Development & Wellbeing

Environment & Infrastructure

Risk Assessment

News & Media Analysis

Media Bias Tools

"What's the full story?"

Regular Analysis

Daily Briefings

"Keep me informed daily..."

Specialized Coverage

"I want expert analysis..."

Newsletters

"Send it to my inbox..."

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 As the digital landscape evolves, new tools emerge while others may become outdated.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.

Read more