The Great Digital Purge: How the Government Is Erasing Science, History, and More

They say the internet never forgets. But what happens when the government decides to make it forget for good?

It started with an email.

Last week, reports emerged that employees at USAID were instructed to destroy classified and personnel records per Erica Carr, the acting executive secretary of USAID. The directive raised immediate legal and ethical concerns. According to leaked communications, staff were told to engage in an “all-day” effort to clear out class…