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DOGE’s grab of personal data stokes privacy and security fears
The Washington Post ^ | Tuesday, February 25 10:09 a.m. EST | Faiz Siddiqui, Joseph Menn and Jacob Bogage

Posted on 02/25/2025 3:41:36 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

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.

They justify their work for the U.S. DOGE Service as a dogged quest for government efficiency. But people with deep knowledge of federal data systems and cybersecurity say they’re skirting guardrails meant to protect sensitive data from misuse.

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.

This article is based on interviews with more than a dozen current or former government employees and officials with knowledge of government databases and systems, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

Representatives for the White House did not return multiple requests for comment.

Musk presides over DOGE from a command center in a room of the old Secretary of War’s suite in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where rainbow-colored lights emanate from the tower and keyboard of the powerful gaming computer he uses to conduct government business. A “Make America Great Again” hat and a placard reading “D.O.G.E.” sit on a large wooden desk, and cords snake across the carpet into a surge protector.

Within the White House complex, the WiFi permissions — meant to bolster security by prompting users to log in frequently — were recently changed to allow guests...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: faizsiddiqui; gaslightmedia; jacobbogage; josephmenn; lyingsacksofpostcrap; thegaslightmedia; washingtoncompost; washingtongaslight; wishcasting
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1 posted on 02/25/2025 3:41:36 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Grade “AAAA” Bullshit


2 posted on 02/25/2025 3:44:26 PM PST by antidemoncrat ( )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
DODGE cannot access any data that the government does not already have.

The argument, the MSM has is totally bogus because all that they they're arguing is that one bureaucrat is less trustworthy than another bureaucrat. I hope the lying talking heads choke to death in their sleep.

3 posted on 02/25/2025 3:44:49 PM PST by wildcard_redneck ( )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Just wait until we are served with a CBDC....


4 posted on 02/25/2025 3:45:03 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: antidemoncrat

More gaslighting and wishcasting


5 posted on 02/25/2025 3:45:25 PM PST by Skwor
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To: antidemoncrat

Has it not occurred to the author that there is no privacy
when the government possesses your personal data?


6 posted on 02/25/2025 3:45:54 PM PST by T. Rustin Noone
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
… skirting guardrails meant to protect sensitive data from misuse.

More accurately, skirting guardrails meant to hide where the money is going!

7 posted on 02/25/2025 3:46:07 PM PST by sjmjax
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This from a news outlet that printed stolen tax records of Trump and others when an IRS employee obtained them illegally and the WP knew it.


8 posted on 02/25/2025 3:46:18 PM PST by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Our Republic dies in darkness!

And the Washington Post aids and abets that darkness! It has done so at least since the days of the Watergate scam!


9 posted on 02/25/2025 3:46:29 PM PST by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
These DOGE workers already have government security clearances.

-PJ

10 posted on 02/25/2025 3:46:50 PM PST by Political Junkie Too ( * LAAP = Left-wing Activist Agitprop Press (formerly known as the MSM))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The government already has your personal information.

DOGE is a legitimate part of government.

Why should judges be involved in which part of government be allowed or barred from seeing information the government has already collected and uses?

This only works if DOGE is not part of the government. YET... They are.


11 posted on 02/25/2025 3:47:05 PM PST by Alas Babylon! (Repeal the Patriot Act; Abolish the DHS; reform FBI top to bottom!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Ten or so years ago, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had records of data submitted by persons applying for security clearances stolen.

Names, addresses, SS numbers, and personal history details were all taken as part of the theft.

It was during the Obama Administration. I don’t remember the MSM getting very upset about it.


12 posted on 02/25/2025 3:47:07 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: wildcard_redneck

Exactly right. And they are arguing unelected bureaucrats do not have to answer to the President.

This is the big scam pulled off by the Progressives during the Wilson, then FDR administrations.

The whole purpose was to build a government of unelected bureaucrats, which were not subject to the bounds of the Constitution.


13 posted on 02/25/2025 3:47:45 PM PST by marktwain
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To: antidemoncrat
"Grade “AAAA” Bullshit"

aka The Washngton Compost.

14 posted on 02/25/2025 3:47:54 PM PST by Carl Vehse (Make Austin Texas Again!)
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To: All

Bozos’ blog.

Propped up nonsense from WaPo to filter down as communist talking points for the astroturf system they’ve created.

PayPal already had your info and sent you 1099s. So what’s the problem?

They don’t want the FRAUD and THEFT of American tax dollars to be exposed.

“You are FAKE NEWS” as Trump would put it.


15 posted on 02/25/2025 3:48:03 PM PST by TigerClaws
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Would this be the same privacy the NSA ignores, the same that I have been alerted has been “Breached” at least four times amd is now on the “Dark web” due to careless banks and doctors?
The same anyone can buy on-line for a couple of dollars?
What privacy is DODGE going to see that is not already lost?


16 posted on 02/25/2025 4:04:58 PM PST by Ex gun maker. (Free thinking is now a radical concept, I will not be assimilated by PC or EV group-think!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

This reeks of desperation. Millions of bureaucrats at the federal, state, county, city and town levels of government across this country have access to personal data with everything from names, home addresses, date of birth and social security numbers. Employees at banks, brokerages, hospitals and insurance companies also have access to sensitive information.

Lame narrative and one that shows how scared the Democrats and their media allies are as their corruption is uncovered everywhere throughout the federal government.


17 posted on 02/25/2025 4:06:48 PM PST by dowcaet
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

😭😭😭😭. If you’re just now starting to worry about your private info.........you’re way late to the party.


18 posted on 02/25/2025 4:07:05 PM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within ? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Faiz Siddiqui, Joseph Menn and Jacob Bogage are so sorely pished, that one can conclude that their Bezos salaries are augmented by grants from USAID.

MUSK MAN BAD memes are quickly becoming more used that Orange Man Bad in these little lefty worlds.


19 posted on 02/25/2025 4:08:29 PM PST by Candor7 (Ask not for whom the Trump Trolls,He trolls for thee!),<img src="" width=500</img><a href="">tag</a>)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Facebook and TikTok have a lot more of your data.


20 posted on 02/25/2025 4:09:14 PM PST by Eli Kopter (Gentle elves set light to lead the Faroes on the starry way from age to age - U. of Faroe Islands)
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