Privacy Concerns Emerge As Elon Musk's DOGE Team Seeks Access to Taxpayer Data

Elon Musk‘s government efficiency team, DOGE, has been reported to be attempting to gain access to a broad range of taxpayer data. This move has sparked privacy apprehensions among Democratic lawmakers.

What Happened: Musk’s team is actively seeking access to taxpayer data, including personal information. However, an anonymous source familiar with the matter stated that they have not yet achieved this. 

The U.S. has strict laws against the disclosure of taxpayer data, with exceptions made only for law enforcement.

According to the report by Bloomberg, Democratic lawmakers have expressed their concerns regarding this development. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) told the outlet, “An unelected oligarch with no security clearance should not be accessing Americans’ most confidential information.”

Earlier in January, DOGE succeeded in gaining access to the Treasury’s payment system, which led to the sudden resignation of a senior civil servant who had opposed the move.

Also Read: Elon Musk Plans Reinstatement of DOGE Employee Fired Over Social Media Posts

Nineteen state attorneys general and three labor unions have since filed lawsuits to stop DOGE from accessing these sensitive systems.

Just last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent faced criticism from three Senate Democrats for his alleged “lack of candor” about the activities of DOGE workers with US payment systems.

Why It Matters: This is not the first time DOGE has been embroiled in controversy. The team’s successful access to the Treasury’s payment system earlier this year raised eyebrows and led to legal action from several state attorneys general and labor unions.

The recent attempt to access taxpayer data further intensifies the scrutiny on DOGE’s activities and its impact on privacy rights.

The ongoing lawsuits and the criticism from lawmakers underscore the growing concerns about the role of private entities in handling sensitive government data.

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