Federal Judge Halts DOGE's Access To Social Security Data Over Privacy Concerns

U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander emphasized that the administration failed to justify why DOGE affiliates required such broad access to sensitive personal information. (Credit: Reuters)

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Social Security Administration (SSA) likely violated privacy laws by allowing Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unmonitored access to sensitive data from millions of Americans, and issued a temporary restraining order to stop further record sharing.

In a 137-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander emphasized that the administration failed to justify why DOGE affiliates required such broad access to sensitive personal information. As per the law, there must be a clear "need" for such access, which the government failed to establish, she noted, CNN reported.