Census .gov: American FactFinder Officially Retired: Data.census.gov Now Primary Data Tool. “Today the U.S. Census Bureau retired American FactFinder (AFF), the primary dissemination tool on census.gov for the past 20 years. Beginning in June of 2019, the Census Bureau stopped releasing new data in AFF, and transitioned to data.census.gov for data releases formerly on AFF. Data.census.gov represents a new chapter in the Census Bureau’s dissemination approach by centralizing data access and allowing for a more rapid response to customers.”
2020 census
Popular Information: Facebook allows Trump campaign to run deceptive Census ads
Popular Information: Facebook allows Trump campaign to run deceptive Census ads. “The Trump campaign is currently running more than 1,000 ads urging users to ‘take the Official 2020 Congressional District Census today.’ The ads also include an image of the ‘2020 Census.’ Users that click on the ad are directed to a campaign website labeled as the ‘Certified Website of President Donald J. Trump.’ The upper right of the landing page says, ‘For Official Use Only.’ There is a clear and deliberate attempt to make this look like a government document.”
The Conversation: The census goes digital – 3 things to know
The Conversation: The census goes digital – 3 things to know. “The U.S. Census Bureau is hoping that most people who live in the U.S. will use the internet to answer census questions, rather than filling out a paper form or providing those answers to a census taker in person, at their home. That would be cheaper – a plus for a budget-strapped Census Bureau – and could help ensure maximum turnout and accuracy of the count. For instance, databases could keep track of which homes have not yet responded to the survey, allowing census officials to target mailings and in-person visits to those locations, without needing to spend time chasing households that have already responded.”
Route Fifty: Census Advocates Spread the Word on New Online Forms
Route Fifty: Census Advocates Spread the Word on New Online Forms. “With only weeks remaining until the 2020 census count begins, states and cities are scrambling to make sure residents know what to expect when they open their mail in mid-March. From teach-ins in New York City libraries to mailbox-themed ads in Alabama, local officials are trying to spread the message that it’s both important and safe to go online and respond.”
Route Fifty: One Month Out, Watchdog Warns About Census IT and Cybersecurity Challenges
Route Fifty: One Month Out, Watchdog Warns About Census IT and Cybersecurity Challenges. “It’s less than a month until the federal government will start asking households across the country to complete the 2020 census questionnaire. But the Census Bureau is behind addressing IT and cybersecurity issues that could put the decennial survey at risk, according to a government watchdog report.”
ABC News: New Twitter tool links users to accurate census information
ABC News: New Twitter tool links users to accurate census information. “People who search for census-related terms will automatically see a link to the federal government’s census website, which contains information about participating in the census, what information is collected and how it is used.”
The Technology 202: Pinterest bans misinformation about voting and the census (Washington Post)
Washington Post: The Technology 202: Pinterest bans misinformation about voting and the census. “Pinterest is ramping up its efforts to crack down on political misinformation ahead of the 2020 election — a sign that the platform best known for lighthearted fare such as recipes, wedding planning and beauty tips is not immune from the challenges facing other major social media sites.”
University of California Riverside: AAPI Data releases mapping tool for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
University of California Riverside: AAPI Data releases mapping tool for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “[Karthick] Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy and political science at the University of California, Riverside, directs the research initiative AAPI Data, a nationally recognized publisher of demographic data and policy research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, or AAPIs. AAPI Data recently partnered with the the national membership organization Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, or AAPIP, to create and release a simple yet powerful mapping tool…. this digital tool is intended to help journalists, decision-makers, and community organizations better understand the diversity and geographic settlement patterns of AAPIs across the country.”
StarTribune: Census relying on social media, advocates to stop bad info
StarTribune: Census relying on social media, advocates to stop bad info. “The U.S. Census Bureau is relying on outside help from social media companies, advocacy groups and other government agencies to halt campaigns that try to discourage people from participating in the once-a-decade head count through the spread of false information, officials said Thursday.”
BBC: US census kicks off by counting first person in rural Alaska
BBC: US census kicks off by counting first person in rural Alaska. “Steven Dillingham, head of the US Census Bureau, has kicked off the count with a ceremonial visit to a tribal elder, Lizzie Chimiugak Nenguryarr, 90. The census takes place every 10 years, and most of the country’s residents are counted from mid-March. But census workers always make an early start in Alaska in January, when the ground is frozen enough to traverse.”
CNET: Facebook bans misleading posts and ads about US census
CNET: Facebook bans misleading posts and ads about US census. “Facebook is banning misleading posts and ads that aim to prevent people from participating in the 2020 US census. The social media giant, which has been under fire for not fact-checking ads from politicians, said Thursday that the new rules also cover politicians who try to suppress census participation.”
Government Technology: U.S. Census Bureau Rolls Out Innovation Tools for 2020 Count
Government Technology: U.S. Census Bureau Rolls Out Innovation Tools for 2020 Count. “With next year’s first-ever heavily digital U.S. Census fast approaching, the Census Bureau has now rolled out a series of new projects, tools and collaborative programs aimed at helping to ensure an accurate count of residents. The Census Bureau held a Demo Day for these new initiatives Dec. 10 at its headquarters just outside of Washington, D.C. The assets unveiled there were wide-ranging, and, perhaps most importantly for communities, many of them were designed to bolster work already being done to support the Census by stakeholders at the local level.”
Poynter: A graphic guide to the 2020 U.S. census
Poynter: A graphic guide to the 2020 U.S. census. “Carmen Nobel, program director of Journalist’s Resource, inspired us to share this graphic presentation of the upcoming census. She writes, ‘Nonfiction cartoonist Josh Neufeld guides us through several issues to watch for as the 2020 census gets underway — including the risk of undercounts, the potential ramifications of an inaccurate count, the threat of misinformation and disinformation campaigns, and important dates on the census calendar.'” The graphic is available with a CC license and its PDF prints nicely on seven sheets of paper.
State Library of Ohio: Census Resources For Libraries Launch
State Library of Ohio: Census Resources For Libraries Launch. “The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce the creation of the Census Resources for Libraries web page…. As community hubs with internet access, libraries will play a critical role in ensuring all Ohioans are counted. Libraries are essential to every community, campus, student, and patron that come through its doors or connects online.” There are state-specific resources on the page, but there are also countrywide and general information resources as well.
Wall Street Journal: Census Overhaul Seeks to Avoid Outing Individual Respondent Data
Wall Street Journal: Census Overhaul Seeks to Avoid Outing Individual Respondent Data. “The Census Bureau is overhauling its systems after it found anyone with sophisticated data tools could use published results to identify millions of individual census respondents, according to agency officials. The new system would prevent anyone—whether policy makers, marketers or data thieves—from using published data to target people based on what they disclose on the census.”
