Federal Judge Temporarily Limits DOGE’s Access to Social Security Data over Privacy Concerns

[mystery-ak]

Amy Furr 18 Apr 2025

The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been placed under updated restrictions, per a recent decision by U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Baltimore.

DOGE’s access is now limited when it comes to Social Security systems that contain personal data on citizens across the nation, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Thursday, noting that Hollander issued a preliminary injunction in the case after issuing a temporary restraining order.

The case was brought by several labor unions and retired individuals who claim DOGE has violated privacy laws and its work has resulted in a risk to security.

In her ruling, Hollander said the objective to uncover government waste and fraud is “laudable” and Americans support that work because they have a right to ensure their money is not squandered.

Hollander noted the issue is with how DOGE performs its task, writing that, “For some 90 years, SSA has been guided by the foundational principle of an expectation of privacy with respect to its records. This case exposes a wide fissure in the foundation.”

Hollander asked during a hearing on Tuesday why DOGE needed broad access to the large amount of the SSA’s personal information to uncover fraud, the AP article continued:

    “While anonymization is possible, it is extremely burdensome,” Justice Department attorney Bradley Humphreys told the court.

    He argued the DOGE access doesn’t deviate significantly from normal practices inside the agency, where employees and auditors are routinely allowed to search its databases.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/04/18/federal-judge-temporarily-limits-doges-access-to-social-security-data-over-privacy-concerns/

[MeganC]

Someone really needs to tell these judges to stay in their lane.

[verga]

Why do I have feeling that the DNC is going judge shopping?

[Fishrrman]

A little late, judge.
That horse is already loose.

[Timber Rattler]

All these lawsuits and court orders based on "records secrecy" beg the question of why the government should be keeping all this sensitive personal and business information in the first place.

[jmyrlefuller]

All these lawsuits and court orders based on "records secrecy" beg the question of why the government should be keeping all this sensitive personal and business information in the first place.

The Social Security Number is, by definition, the responsibility to be recorded by the SSA. It is that number's use as a catch-all identification number that makes it sensitive.

[Timber Rattler]

The Social Security Number is, by definition, the responsibility to be recorded by the SSA. It is that number's use as a catch-all identification number that makes it sensitive.

But it's more than the number itself, much, much more!  Just like the Census Records, with that overly intrusive American Community Survey.  None of it is the government's business!

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

And if they're worried about Big Balls getting into it, then what about all the foreign hackers who have breeched it over the years?