WASHINGTON: A US judge ruled today to restrict access to Americans’ social security data for Elon Musk’s department of government efficiency (DOGE), after unions raised concerns about the unelected billionaire’s sweeping powers.
The order by district judge Ellen Hollander bans DOGE staff from accessing data containing information that could personally identify Americans, such as their social security number, medical history or bank records.
The social security administration (SSA) can only give redacted or anonymised records to DOGE employees who have completed background checks and training on federal laws, regulations and privacy policies, Hollander ruled.