Just yesterday, the White House launched the US Digital Service, a new initiative with the express purpose of saving US government websites from imminent disaster/themselves. And after a brief audit of the state of our (unfortunate) digital affairs, we can officially say — well, they have got their work cut out for them.
It’s no secret that our various branches of government don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to design. And hey, we’re sure some of these looked great in 1997, but we’re long overdue for an upgrade. So to give you a taste of the what the newly formed Digital Service is about to tackle, we present to you some of the most atrocious government websites that your tax dollars have ever wrought. Good luck, gentlemen — and thank god it’s not us.
US Army Cyber Command
The military is the most consistent repeat offender as far as unnavigable websites go. Also of overusing the word “cyber.”
NSA for Kids
Ignoring the fact that it is no longer October, the NSA dedicated far more manpower to filling out nine (!) 300-word-long character bios than it has to updating the site. Which it has not done in four years.
US House of Representatives for High School
The House of Representatives is holding a drunk, tween web designer hostage and that tween needs our help.
Supreme Court
We’re not sure if the fact that the Supreme Court’s website actually is regularly updated is something that we should take solace in. Regardless, we think we know who’s behind this.
Transportation Command FOIA Service Center
While the Transportation Command’s FOIA section is particularly difficult to navigate, its worth noting that each division of government has managed to make each of its FOIA forms into its own bureaucratic vision of hell.
Twenty-Fourth Air Force (Cyber Division)
Again, if your office has the word “cyber” in it, avoid making your website look like something that came off of a Law & Order set.
US Senate
Not only is the homepage crowded and depressing, but it is totally devoid of any helpful information whatsoever.
Department of Defence Cyber Domain
There really has to be a better word to use than cyber.
Department of Defence FOIA Office
When two of the most prolific makers of labyrinthine digital disasters (the DoD and FOIA offices) come together, an awful, awful website is born.
US Coast Guard
The red-headed stepchild of the armed forces has a hard enough time as it is, the least we could do is give them a website that doesn’t look Carnival Cruise circa 1999.
National Weather Service
That map is a little hard to read. Let’s get a better look.
Never mind.