A major privacy dispute between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) threatens to disrupt Social Security payments for over 71 million Americans.

Acting SSA Commissioner Lee Dudek has threatened to shut down SSA systems after a federal court blocked DOGE's access to beneficiaries' private data. The court ruling, issued by Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander, found that SSA likely violated privacy laws by giving DOGE and Elon Musk unrestricted access to sensitive personal information.

The disputed data includes:

• Social Security numbers
• Medical and mental health records
• Bank and tax details
• Work history and income
• Birth and marriage certificates

The court ordered DOGE to delete all non-anonymized data and restricted future access to redacted datasets only. If Dudek follows through with the shutdown threat, Social Security payments could face delays or interruptions.

DOGE, established under the Trump administration, claims to target fraud in federal programs. However, critics argue this move threatens privacy rights and public trust. AFL-CIO legal counsel Janice Cortez stated, "This isn't about fraud prevention. It's about dismantling public trust and concentrating control."

Current Status:

• The restraining order remains in effect
• SSA can allow DOGE access to anonymized data only
• Benefits continue as normal for now
• The court battle is ongoing

SSA insiders warn that unrestricted access to personal data could set a dangerous precedent for surveillance and potential privatization of federal benefits. While the SSA maintains that current benefit payments will continue normally, legal experts caution that the situation could escalate if the shutdown threat materializes.

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