Supreme Court clears Trump’s DOGE to access Social Security data: privacy fears mount

The Supreme Court’s recent decision allows the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency unprecedented access to sensitive Social Security data on millions, despite strong objections from liberal justices citing serious privacy concerns. This ruling intensifies the debate over government transparency versus individual privacy protections.

Sources:
AP NewsNbcnews
Updated 2h ago
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Sources: AP NewsNbcnews
The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access Social Security Administration data, overturning a federal judge's injunction. This decision grants DOGE access to personal data on millions of Americans, sparking significant privacy concerns.

The Trump administration argues that DOGE requires this data to fulfill its mission of identifying and eliminating waste within the federal government. However, the move has been met with strong opposition from labor unions and retirees, who filed a lawsuit through Democracy Forward to block the access.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson voiced serious concerns, stating the court's ruling creates "grave privacy risks" by allowing "unfettered data access to DOGE regardless — despite its failure to demonstrate any need or interest in adhering to existing privacy safeguards." She emphasized the uncertainty over whether federal law even permits such access.

The Supreme Court's conservative majority granted the Trump administration's emergency application to lift the injunction issued by a Maryland federal judge, with the three liberal justices dissenting.

"The court’s action creates grave privacy risks for millions of Americans," Justice Jackson warned.

This ruling raises critical questions about balancing government efficiency efforts with protecting sensitive personal information, as millions of Americans' Social Security data becomes accessible to a government department with limited demonstrated oversight.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between privacy advocates and government efforts to streamline operations, with the Supreme Court's decision marking a significant victory for the Trump administration but a potential setback for privacy protections.
Sources: AP NewsNbcnews
The Supreme Court granted the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to Social Security data, overriding a federal judge's injunction. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned of "grave privacy risks" for millions, as unions and retirees had challenged the move citing privacy concerns.
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The Headline

Supreme Court lifts injunction, grants DOGE Social Security data access amid privacy concerns

The court’s action creates “grave privacy risks” for millions of Americans by giving “unfettered data access to DOGE regardless — despite its failure to show any need or any interest in complying with existing privacy safeguards, and all before we know for sure whether federal law countenances such access.”
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
AP News
Key Facts
  • Supreme Court granted the Trump administration access to Social Security systems containing personal data on millions of Americans by lifting a federal injunction.AP NewsNbcnews
  • The Trump administration filed an emergency application to lift the injunction blocking DOGE’s access to Social Security data.Nbcnews
  • Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson expressed concerns about grave privacy risks and the lack of demonstrated need for DOGE’s access to sensitive data.AP News
  • The Trump administration claims DOGE needs access to Social Security data to carry out its mission of targeting waste in the federal government.AP News
Key Stats at a Glance
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Background Context

Legal challenges and injunction precede Supreme Court ruling

Key Facts
  • A lawsuit was filed by labor unions and retirees represented by Democracy Forward challenging DOGE’s access to Social Security data.AP News
  • A federal judge in Maryland issued an injunction blocking DOGE’s access to Social Security data prior to the Supreme Court ruling.Nbcnews
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