Doing a visual/UX survey – what are the most poorly designed Federal Gov websites? Post screen shot with link!
Joe Gebbia, Airbnb co-founder and DOGE Chief Design Officer, asks the public to submit screenshots of poorly designed federal websites
The feedback will guide future interface and usability redesigns
Many users criticized federal government websites such as PACER, SBA loans, TreasuryDirect, and Social Security for abysmal UI/UX, paywalls, outdated navigation, and broken designs.
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@jgebbia 🇺🇸
Doing a visual/UX survey – what are the most poorly designed Federal Gov websites? Post screen shot with link!

@jgebbia http://sam.gov still loads like it's 2004

@jgebbia PACER (inc EM/ECF) - it’s a UI/UX abomination and it’s outrageously paywalled. Public court records should be free and easily accessible for full transparency.

@jgebbia http://Treasurydirect.gov is pretty ugly and hard to navigate

@jgebbia Not really a design thing, but when can IRS finally ditch the random third-party company ID dot me for http://Login.gov?! Pretty pretty please...

@jgebbia No screenshots, but the National Parks website should look incredible with lots of photos and theming.

@jgebbia IRS
It needs a redesign. Maybe turbocharge the search function with Grok to search the tax code and forms?

@jgebbia http://Treasurydirect.gov is a mess of color coding that has no meaning and broken conventions (This button is a link? Surprise is not!). It's easier to buy German bonds on their equivalent site. https://www.deutsche-finanzagentur.de/en/federal-securities/types-of-federal-securities/treasury-discount-paper

@jgebbia @grok what’s one of the worst visual/UX federal websites? Look into complaints online to find the worst.

@jgebbia too soon?

@jgebbia With July 4 target 2 days out, I'm more curious how the NDS own 27k site rollout is tracking than which agency sites are ugliest. Any chance you can share the progress numbers? https://federalnewsnetwork.com/it-modernization/2026/01/national-design-studio-looks-to-overhaul-27000-federal-websites-and-is-hiring-a-team-to-do-it/

@jgebbia The SBA loan site is garbage. So many links to get to the page to make a payment.

@DavidVartan @jgebbia That is brand new.

@jgebbia Most of the patent site is trash unless its where you are submitting a new one.

@jgebbia Would like official branding on this, and clear CTAs. https://www.donotcall.gov/
And the confirmation emails are suss.

@jgebbia Biggest project you could ever take on is fix Social Security online system. It’s so bad and you would probably have to start over. It’s like 1996 technology.

@jgebbia I'd like to report an unsafe, hazardous, and defective website
https://www.recalls.gov

@jgebbia @spikebrehm Can probably just walk down the list of most visited gov sites for the biggest impact. You’d be busy for years

@jgebbia Please please fix https://www.eftps.gov/

@jgebbia The IRS website has improved over the years, but there are still pages that feel cluttered and difficult to navigate.