Elon Musk's DOGE is being sued by privacy law: what needs to be known

After many months of controversy of the National Assembly witnessed the elimination of Ervin's independent privacy supervision council, President Gerald Ford signed a privacy law on December 31, 1974. His last months at the office, outstanding Important needs to provide measures to protect privacy fully and consistently for a large number of personal information collected, recorded and used in our complex society.

How is this relevant today?

Doge critics, including democratic lawmakers, federal unions and government supervision groups Young, controversial and seemingly main employees are mainly Access to sensitive government data creates a major violation of privacy. The incidents represent the biggest violation and the most results of personal information in American history, According to John DavissonA lawyer for electronic security information center, one of Doge's claims.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, said Doge's employees need to access this data to complete the task of eliminating wasted spending programs and closing conflicts with President Donald Trump's agenda. . After a federal judge temporarily blocked Doge's access to government payment systems, the White House spokesperson called the ruling Unreasonable and beyond justice. Musk targets judges On X, he said, he needs to be impeached right now!

Can privacy law stop DOGE?

It will depend on whether many judges agree with the Trump administration's arguments that declare the law does not prevent Doge staff from approaching sensitive data of agencies.

The Government said that people could only sue agencies under the privacy law in one of the four scenarios: when an agency refused to grant someone to access the dossier of them; When a agency refuses to amend someone's records as required; When an agency does not update someone's record and they have specific damage, such as refusing benefits; Or when an agency violates the requirements of the law in ways that adversely affect someone. It is still necessary to see if the judges will determine whether Doge's data access is adversely affecting people.

Agencies have also argued that they did not violate the privacy law because Doge's activities were during the usual use of the law and applications need to know exceptional cases. IN A court profile Responding to a legal challenge, the Ministry of Finance said that DOGE employees are accessing data to determine the payments that are inappropriate to perform the tasks (their) as directed by Trump. (Activating the exception to other agencies has fallen into one of the Viking's usage habits that the agency has previously revealed at the request of the Private Act.

The power of that argument is based on how the judges consider two questions: Will Doge employees access the data of each agency as the employee of those agencies or not and whether the two exceptions have existing. Applicable to situations they access and share data or not.

Who is using privacy law to sue Doge?

There are at least eight cases against the Trump administration about Doge's federal data access and all depend at least partially on privacy laws.

1. The US Government Federation, the Judges of the Administrative Law, and more than 100 current and previous federal workers Doge, Musk and Human Resources Office about what they claimed to be the illegal decision of OPM to provide DOGO staff to access the federal staff database, said that employees Doge lacks legal and legal demand to access like that.
2. Electronic security information centerOn behalf of an unnamed federal employee, OPM, DOGE and the Ministry of Finance for accusing DOGE to access the OPM's personal database and the treasury's payment system for the purpose Acceptable according to the law of privacy.
3. California University Student Association It is suing the Ministry of Education for allegedly transferring student data to DOGE's employees, those who are not, in the language of the Privacy Act, the Muslim employees wishing for records. In performing their duties.
4. Six Government Labor Unions, two non -profit groups and economic policies of Think Tank Labor and health and human services are suing, the Department of Consumer Finance Protection and Doge to prevent the office from accessing a series of data, including complaints about workers' salaries of workers The Federation of Privacy Act.
5. Two Government Labor Unions and the Mobilization Group Union for retired Americans The treasury sued for accused of giving Doge access to American tax returns for allegedly violating both the law on privacy and Special rules of internal revenue services.
6. National Treasury Employee Union Acting CFPB Russell Vear Director to provide information about CFPB staff for Doge employees, alleged their situation as their special government employees, they put them out of CFPB and thus party In addition to the privacy law, it is necessary to know.
7. Nineteen General Attorney General It is suing Trump and the treasury about Doge accessing federal payment systems, saying that many Doge members have allowed (system) not to be employees of the treasury, which constitutes a violation. Privacy Act.
8. Six Americans are suing the treasury and DOGE about what they describe as a violation of sensitive personal data they offer the Government while submitting the tax return, applying for the student's loan, requesting payment of defects. and receive retirement benefits.

Where are these cases standing?

IN Case of state AgsThen A judge quickly issued A temporary ban restricts access to all sensitive personal data and financial storage systems. The case has been designated on the basis of a different judge, a person Adjust the order a bit Later The Trump administration opposed To limit it for those who are assigned political. A status of the situation took place on February 14.

IN epic casesOrganization has Ask judges For a temporary ban on blocking Doge into a number of treasury and OPM systems. A hearing session will be held on February 21.