That Time I Found Yoast on State.gov – WTF?

Picture this: I’m casually poking around state.gov because I’m confident Kamala Harris has won the election and is now the 47th president of the USA (kindly keep your cult objections to yourself). Then, something catches my eye—those iconic teal banners on the homepage? Gone. Or rather, stripped of their faint patterns.

Naturally, I dive into the developer code because curiosity always gets the better of me. And guess what I find? Yoast. Freakin’. SEO.

Are you telling me the U.S. government is using Yoast, the same plugin we all slap on our WordPress blogs to optimize meta descriptions? Yoast for SEA (Search Engine America)? I was equal parts amused and horrified.

Relax, I Reported It

Before you clutch your pearls, I’ve already reported this as a potential hack to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). So, we’re good. You can chill now.

But seriously, how does this happen? Is it an elaborate prank? Some rogue developer sneaking in shortcuts? Or just another example of how dumpster-tier things can get when the wrong people are running the show?

Why Yoast on a Government Site Makes Zero Sense

1. Custom Development Standards Most U.S. government websites aren’t built on off-the-shelf platforms. They use custom systems or heavily customized open-source frameworks like Drupal, all tailored to meet federal accessibility and security requirements. Yoast? Not exactly top-tier for those specs.

2. Strict Security Protocols Plugins like Yoast can be a liability unless meticulously vetted and constantly updated. Federal systems don’t just slap on third-party tools for fun—they’d rather build their own or work with rigorously audited solutions.

3. Civic Tech Values As Cyd Harrell highlights in her must-read book Civic Technologist’s Practice Guide, civic tech is about serving the public with integrity, accessibility, and trust. Tossing in Yoast feels like a shortcut that doesn’t align with those values.

But Could It Be Legit?

Okay, fine. I’ll play devil’s advocate. Some government websites, especially smaller or more niche ones, could use WordPress for its flexibility and ease of use. Here’s why:

1. WordPress Usage

2. SEO Needs

3. Cost and Resource Efficiency

But state.gov? That’s the big leagues. It should be running on bespoke, ironclad infrastructure.

Wait, I Found More!

Yoast wasn’t the only oddity. As I poked around, I stumbled across more pre-built WordPress vibes. Forget the custom systems we’d expect—this felt like someone had grabbed a pre-colored theme right out of a template store.

And then there were the signs of tampering, raising all kinds of red flags:

1. Suspicious Third-Party Scripts

2. Overuse of !important

3. Hidden or Obfuscated Elements

4. Suspicious Tracking Iframes

5. Commented-Out Code

6. Hardcoded Scripts with Obscure Attributes

Why This Matters

The discovery isn’t just funny—it’s a wake-up call. It highlights the vulnerabilities of public digital infrastructure and the urgent need for civic tech innovation.

Cyd Harrell’s Civic Technologist’s Practice Guide offers a roadmap for doing better:

1. Understand Government Context Learn how public systems work, constraints included. You can’t just drop in a plugin and call it a day.

2. Focus on Accessibility and Equity Civic tech is about serving everyone, especially marginalized groups. Tech shortcuts often fail here.

3. Collaborate Across Disciplines Tech, design, policy, and public input all need to work together.

4. Plan for Longevity Government systems stick around for decades. Build stuff that’s secure and maintainable.

5. Take Care of Yourself Working in civic tech isn’t easy. Burnout is real—pace yourself.

Final Thought

Yoast on state.gov is equal parts hilarious and terrifying. But it also underscores how much work is needed to secure and modernize government tech. Kamala Harris might be the 47th president of hope, but we’ve got to do better for the future.

And for the love of all that’s civic—ditch the pre-built WordPress themes.