Over 300 million Americans’ sensitive data, including health and financial records, was copied to a private cloud outside government oversight, triggering alerts from officials and lawmakers.
Scandal in the USA: Data of Millions of Americans at Risk
Letter to the Prosecutor and Congress: ‘Enormous Costs’
Charles Borges, director of data affairs at the Social Security Administration, revealed that sensitive data for over 300 million Americans is now at risk after government employees copied it to a private cloud not subject to federal oversight. The data includes health, banking, and income-related information. Borges warned in a letter to prosecutors and Congress that unauthorized access could lead to widespread identity theft, loss of critical healthcare and food benefits, and force the government to issue new Social Security numbers to all citizens—a move tied to “enormous costs.”
Controversies Around the DOGE
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, has faced controversy since its inception. In November, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech investor, were appointed as DOGE leaders. Critics argue the agency lacks balanced viewpoints, operates in secrecy without public notification, and restricts access to its records and work outcomes. In January, U.S. labor organizations sued President Donald Trump and the Office of Management and Budget, accusing them of granting DOGE unprecedented access to vast personal data repositories under the guise of efficiency missions.
Source: Gazeta, Associated Press
