Concerns Raised Over DOGE Team's Handling of Social Security Data

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed that members of Elon Musk's DOGE team accessed and shared sensitive data, raising significant concerns about data security and privacy. A recent court filing from the Trump administration revealed that one DOGE employee signed an agreement with an unnamed political advocacy group to analyze voter rolls with the intent to "find evidence of voter fraud and to overturn election results in certain states." Additionally, it was disclosed that a DOGE member shared personally identifiable information of 1,000 individuals via an encrypted email attachment. The SSA noted uncertainty regarding the specifics of the shared information and whether it remains accessible on third-party cloud servers outside of SSA's security protocols.

Whistleblower responds after DOJ confirms DOGE mishandled Social Security dataWhistleblower responds after DOJ says DOGE mishandled data | PBS News Hour

These revelations corroborate concerns initially raised by Chuck Borges, the former chief data officer at SSA, who filed a whistleblower complaint last summer. Borges, who resigned from his position in August, outlined three main issues: inappropriate access to sensitive data by DOGE employees, violations of a temporary restraining order, and the uploading of sensitive Social Security data to a cloud server lacking adequate security measures. Borges expressed disappointment at the government's delayed acknowledgment of these issues, stating, "This is a situation where the public loses."

Whistleblower responds after DOJ says DOGE mishandled data | PBS News Hour

Borges emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that Social Security data contains critical personal information that could facilitate identity theft and other fraudulent activities. He warned that the potential exposure of this data poses risks not only to the 300 million living Americans but also to deceased individuals, as the database includes information on all living and dead Americans. Borges stated, "To put that personally identifiable information... into an environment where it could be downloaded or accessed inappropriately... is a risk to literally every single living and dead American's ability to have a daily life."

Whistleblower responds after DOJ confirms DOGE mishandled Social Security data

The allegations have prompted further scrutiny, with DOGE employees being referred to a federal watchdog group to investigate potential violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from engaging in political activities while on duty. Borges's attorney, Debra Katz, expressed skepticism about the likelihood of accountability, citing a history of insufficient consequences for similar violations. She stated, "If this has happened, these are criminal violations... and there needs to be a complete, thorough investigation."

Whistleblower responds after DOJ confirms DOGE mishandled Social Security data

Borges has called for the SSA to release documentation to clarify the extent of the data mishandling, asserting that the agency has not provided any evidence to refute his allegations. He remarked, "They can't be sure until the agency releases documentation that proves or refutes my allegations one way or the other."

Whistleblower responds after DOJ confirms DOGE mishandled Social Security data

As investigations continue, the Office of Special Counsel has reached out to Borges's attorney for additional information regarding his retaliation complaint. The outcome of these inquiries may have significant implications for data security practices within the SSA and the accountability of government employees involved in the alleged misconduct.

Whistleblower responds after DOJ confirms DOGE mishandled Social Security data