NORC's David Dutwin on How Americans Use and Think about Federal Data Artwork

Data for the People!

Every day, millions of Americans rely on federal data—often without realizing it. From checking the weather forecast to planning retirement, from tracking disease outbreaks to measuring economic growth, government datasets power decisions that shape our daily lives and drive billions in economic activity.

Data for the People! is a new podcast from the Data Foundation that shines a light on this essential but often overlooked infrastructure. Hosted by J.B. Wogan, each episode features conversations with leaders from the public and private sectors about the national datasets that belong to the American people and the policy changes in Washington that could enable—or limit—their use.

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Data for the People!

NORC's David Dutwin on How Americans Use and Think about Federal Data

February 25, 2026 • Data Foundation • Season 1 • Episode 3

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The latest episode of Data for the People! features David Dutwin, executive director and senior vice president of AmeriSpeak, a panel-based research platform from NORC at the University of Chicago. Dutwin joins the show to discuss Americans’ trust in federal statistics, science, institutions, and one another.

Learn more about the American Statistical Association's The Nation's Data at Risk: 2025 Report, which includes analyses of AmeriSpeak survey panel data on Americans' perceptions and use of federal statistics.

Learn more about the People's Data 100 initiative and nominate a federal dataset providing great value to daily life in the United States before the February 28, 2026 deadline.

In the spirit of the People's Data 100 initiative, here are links where listeners can learn more about two national datasets Dutwin references in the interview:

The General Social Survey (GSS), which Dutwin calls "a mirror into the soul of Americans." This federally funded survey has been tracking American attitudes, values, and social trends since 1972.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a collaboration between state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that uses health-related telephone surveys to collect state data about U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. In the interview, Dutwin gives the example of how Americans might see a statistic on TV about the rate of asthma among adults in a given state, which would likely come from the BRFSS.

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