Something big is happening at the Social Security Administration, and it’s raising serious questions about data privacy.

A top official has stepped down following a clash with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

What does this mean for the millions of Americans who rely on Social Security benefits? And should you be concerned?

Michelle King, the top official at the Social Security Administration (SSA), has left her position after reportedly refusing a request from DOGE to allegedly access highly sensitive government records.

DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has been tasked with identifying inefficiencies and potential fraud within government agencies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt further explained that while DOGE had not yet "dug into the books," it suspected that widespread fraud was occurring.

However, its methods—especially regarding personal data access—have sparked significant concerns.

A Social Security shake-up raises serious concerns about your personal data. Image source: New York Post / YouTube.

President Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano as her successor.

In the interim, Leland Dudek, a former SSA anti-fraud official, will serve as acting commissioner.

King, a longtime SSA veteran, opted for retirement after being replaced as acting commissioner.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, shed light on the kind of data DOGE sought to access, describing it as some of the most sensitive personal information Americans entrust to the government.

The disputed records reportedly included:

• Social Security numbers
• Bank account details
• Earnings records
• Marital statuses
• Birth dates
• Medical records for those applying for disability benefits

Altman called DOGE’s request a serious breach of trust, emphasizing that the government has a responsibility to protect rather than expose such data.

“The information that the Social Security Administration has is a lot of personal data that most people would like to keep private and they entrusted to the government through tax returns and through their employers’ sending in earning statements. The assumption is that the government will be very careful with it,” she stated.

The acting head of the Social Security Administration has resigned following a dispute over Elon Musk's cryptocurrency, Dogecoin (DOGE). Source: New York Post / YouTube.​

The SSA handles payments for more than 70 million Americans, making it one of the most crucial federal agencies.

While President Trump has vowed not to cut retirement benefits, the debate over data privacy vs. government efficiency continues to intensify.

SSA’s inspector general reported that between 2015 and 2022, only 0.84% of benefits payments were improper, calling into question whether DOGE’s access to SSA records was justified or overreached.

Altman warns that giving DOGE access to such personal records could erode public trust in the Social Security system and raise serious privacy concerns for beneficiaries.

This isn’t the first time DOGE has drawn scrutiny for its efforts to access sensitive government data.

• DOGE at the IRS: A DOGE-affiliated IRS employee is expected to seek access to taxpayer records.
• DOGE at the Treasury: The department gained access to the Treasury’s payment system, which stores Social Security numbers and financial data. This led to several lawsuits and a temporary block on DOGE’s access to certain databases.
• DOGE at FEMA: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that President Trump authorized Musk to access disaster-related data within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

As concerns over government data access grow, the legal challenges facing DOGE continue to mount. Want to know more? Read here.

Read more: IRS employee’s data access request raises concerns over taxpayer privacy

Key Takeaways

• Michelle King, the former Social Security Administration (SSA) commissioner, stepped down after refusing a request from DOGE to access sensitive government data.
  
• President Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano to lead the SSA, while Leland Dudek serves as acting commissioner.
  
• The requested data included Social Security numbers, bank information, earnings records, and medical records for disability applicants.
  
• The FBI and security experts urge Gmail users to avoid sharing recovery codes and enable multi-factor authentication.

What are your thoughts on DOGE’s request for Social Security data? Do you think it’s necessary for fraud prevention, or does it pose a serious privacy risk?

Share your insights in the comments below.

 

[ayarber2]

I’m not concerned at this point. Our government should audit itself. DOGE is a legit government department. Why hasn’t this already been done? It seems very responsible and accountable to do this. I don’t trust the people resisting, quitting and being fired. It’s like they were hiding what is being found. So far I see where millions of people over 120 years old are still getting SS payments which is impossible. That is a substantial amount of fraud that when stopped will make SS solvent again.

 

[nitram]

This is blowing up in the democrats and government employees faves.

 

[Chester]

With all the fraud that DOGE has found so far they should be allowed to audit every government department
Cut them loose

 

[ROBERT1946]

I’d leave also if they showed the job was too big for me. 160 year olds receiving benefits. —really! Let’s get these hacks out of government.

 

[brendaf61]

With all the fraud that DOGE has found so far they should be allowed to audit every government department
Cut them loose

This was all disproven by 8 AM this morning. A bit concerned this platform has not clarified that Musk lied about all the 150 year Olds who were getting SS checks. Complete a lie. Also his ability to even be there is now illegal. His position as of today is he is part of an agency. He carries zero power of any short as an agency. He is not in charge of DOGE, was unclear as this morning if this appreciation for this so called new department will even remain. They have broken multiple laws. Trump has started a US "coup" and now considered very dangerous. He has refused to follow laws set in place by congress and signed by president's for the last 200 plus years. Not looking good for Trump. Congress is finally acting, supreme court will most likely get involved. I was hoping this 60 plus newsletter would stay accurate.

 

[coco1952]

Why does he have to lie? If there is fraud don't they already have ways to detect that. I would think it would be an easy computer solution of stopping payments on all accounts where person is listed to be older than 100. And then verify whoever is listed over that to determine if they're eligible for benefits. I also think that anyone who has net worth above $1 million dollars should not receive social security even if they paid into the program. That money should go to those who need it not someone who can do without it.