As part of a federal initiative to cut government waste, the White House announced plans to eliminate at least half of the current inventory of federal websites. According to a White House blog post, there are nearly 2,000 top-level federal domains (dot-gov), but numerous subdomains and micro-sites inflate the list to almost 24,000 websites “of varying purpose, design, navigation, usability, and accessibility.” To get the process started, the feds will take the following steps:
- Stop the bleeding — Effective immediately,there is a freeze on all dot-gov URLs.
- Map out the current landscape — Agencies will be required to report on every URL they maintain, and a full inventory will be published within 30 days for public review and comment.
- Develop a policy for federal websites — A task force will consult with public- and private-sector experts develop a plan for moving forward.
Some of the proposed cuts seem like no-brainers, including a site devoted to members of the U.S. Forest Service who play folk music (already gone). But 1,000 is a tall order. Let’s hope that transportation secretary Ray LaHood’s Fast Lane blog survives the axe. Link to full story in The White House Blog.
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