Released: February 25, 2025

DOGE’s grab of personal data stokes privacy, security fears

Source: Faiz Siddiqui,Joseph Menn & Jacob Bogage, Washington Post (Paid Registration)

Deputies of Elon Musk have sought access to massive amounts of information across the federal government, much of it personal and highly revelatory in its insights into the lives of everyday Americans.

Before DOGE launched, most of the records at issue were kept in the hands of a select few officials to preserve privacy and avoid crossing legal red lines. Now Musk’s group is seeking often unfettered access, citing suspicion of fraud and waste. In addition to concerns about exposing private information, some critics fear handing all the data to DOGE could enable bad actors to leak sensitive information to compromise political adversaries, act on personal vendettas or stir up online mobs against opponents.

Read Full Article: DOGE’s grab of personal data stokes privacy, security fears