data /dā′tə, dăt′ə, dä′tə/
noun plural
Facts that can be analyzed or used in an effort to gain knowledge or make decisions; information.
In most writing data will be treated as a singular noun:
“This data shows how people use language” (rather than “these data show”).
“The data is clear and convincing” (rather than “these data are clear and convincing”).
In these examples data is a noncount noun, like information, meaning it refers to something that cannot be counted. It is treated like a singular noun even when if refers to multiple pieces of data (”Participants’ data is not kept after the survey ends”).
https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/some-data-about-datum
Ya, thats a bunch of bullshit the Brits tricked too many of us into participating in. It is a single body of information, there is no plural. This is the same as the crap where these idiots are wandering around the internet attacking people for not using “maths”. Probably be cause the fact that there are many forms doesnt effect that we are talking about a single area of study, we in that case are not making a distinction between basic addition or partial differential equations.
There are quite a few examples of this. All of you going along with changing this just because the British are having tantrums are just as bad as they are.