tech
CIA World Factbook, trusted source of knowledge about nations, shuttered by Trump administration
If you attended school any time after the Nixon administration, you likely beheld at some point the CIA World Factbook, a map and reference manual of Planet Earth and its inhabitants nearly everyone could agree on.
TL;DR
- The CIA World Factbook, a public resource for global information, was shut down by the Trump administration.
- Originally created after World War II as a coordinated intelligence effort, it became publicly available in 1975.
- The Factbook served as a valuable tool for students, researchers, and for projecting U.S. intelligence capabilities.
- Its closure sparked a wave of grief and concern among users who saw it as a trusted source of facts.
- Some questioned the Factbook's neutrality, given its origin within the CIA, especially in light of 'alternative facts' discussions.
- Alternative sources exist, but users noted the Factbook's convenience and consolidated nature.
- The Factbook's last publication was already outdated, failing to reflect recent geopolitical events.