Judge Blocks Dogecoin's Access to SSA Data

Federal Court Blocks Musk's DOGE Access to SSA Data

A ruling was issued Thursday by a federal judge, preventing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from gaining access to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) systems.

These SSA systems contain the sensitive personal information belonging to a vast number of American citizens.

Judge Cites Lack of Justification

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander, presiding in Maryland, characterized DOGE’s actions as “essentially engaged in a fishing expedition.”

The judge asserted that the search for fraud appeared to be founded on minimal evidence, amounting to little more than unsubstantiated suspicion.

Hollander emphasized that DOGE failed to clearly define or justify its need for access to the “personal and private data of millions of Americans.”

Privacy Law Violations and Cybersecurity Concerns

The judge determined that granting DOGE access would constitute a violation of multiple federal privacy regulations.

Furthermore, the order highlighted potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could arise from such access.

DOGE Staff Access to PII

According to court filings, DOGE currently has ten personnel stationed at the SSA.

Of these ten, seven individuals have been granted access to personally identifiable information (PII) within the SSA’s data systems.

Individuals identified as having this access include Akash Bobba and Scott Coulter, as reported by TechCrunch.

Scope of Data Initially Granted

Initially, the SSA provided DOGE with access to systems containing a wide range of highly sensitive data.

This included Social Security numbers, medical records, drivers’ license numbers, and tax information, alongside numerous other forms of personal data.

The breadth of this data access raised significant concerns regarding potential misuse and privacy breaches.