Alt18F

"Nearly 300,000 filers used Direct File for the 2025 tax season, and 94% of users who completed an IRS survey rated their experience as 'excellent' or 'above average.'"

Just like 18F, the people behind @altusds.bsky.social partnered with government agencies to deliver critical services for the American people: finding baby formula during a shortage, applying for financial aid, getting veterans’ benefits. They shared our story on their website, We the Builders.

We have some news to share with you. 🥄 Today we took legal action to challenge our termination, filing an appeal with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. We did this because we believe the elimination of 18F violated safeguards that exist to protect a nonpartisan civil service.

"A 2025 report from minority staff on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations estimated $21.7 billion in waste by DOGE during the first six months of its existence. Vought told Pocan he didn’t know how much was spent on DOGE workers ... ."

"Most of the few dozen websites [National Design Studio] has launched consist of a single page, where visitors can do little more than fill out a sign-up form."

“It will have a chilling effect on federal employees engaging in whistleblowing activity. If they do not want to sign this nondisclosure agreement, not only would they be removed for failure to follow instructions on signing a document, but they’re .. going to be debarred from federal service ... ."

"Digital service practitioners have spent a decade hearing firsthand what people actually want and need from government. That knowledge shouldn’t stop at delivery—it should drive the strategy."

"Schofield said he is speaking publicly for the first time because he believes Americans need to understand how government data can be misused and, in some cases, already has been." Another courageous act from a civil servant choosing to honor their oath.

"It is not a contract between equals. It is a loyalty oath, enforced with the full weight of federal prosecutorial power, demanded of people who already swore a different oath — to the Constitution."

"The app includes videos and messaging that are overtly political or directly related to campaigns, the type of material with which employees are typically discouraged from engaging while on the clock due to the non-partisan nature of their work."

We've been doing a little tidying up at 18f.org—a good opportunity to remind folks that the 18F guides and blog are archived on the site for anyone to use. After all, they belong to you!

"Where USDS and 18F prioritized function, accessibility, and the needs of underserved populations, the studio’s mandate emphasizes beauty, delight, and the visual language of consumer technology. The distinction is not trivial ... "