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What would you do if you found out a stranger accessed a federal database then walked away with your Social Security number? What if this person also walked away with your place and date of birth, citizenship status, race, ethnicity, the names of your parents — and all of their information too? You might ask how the stranger got access, why he stole your information and, ultimately, what pernicious plans he may have in store. Above all, you’d be outraged by the prospect of your data being passed around like trading cards.
Unfortunately, we’re past the hypothetical stage. Recent reporting from the Washington Post detailed a whistleblower’s complaint that a DOGE staffer left the Social Security Administration (SSA) in possession of two highly restricted databases of U.S. citizen information. While the Post has not independently confirmed the accusations in the complaint, they’re being investigated by the SSA’s internal watchdog, and follow other claims of fishy activity by DOGE at SSA. If the claims are true, the sensitive information on 500 million living and dead Americans is at risk of exposure.
