In a closely watched decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled 6–3 in favor of granting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) temporary access to select data from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The ruling reverses earlier lower court decisions that had paused the initiative due to privacy concerns and now sends the case back to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond for further review.
DOGE, a relatively new federal agency, was established with a mission to modernize government systems and improve inter-agency coordination. Advocates for the department say it has the potential to streamline services, reduce redundancy, and enhance efficiency across various branches of government.
The legal dispute began when DOGE requested access to SSA records as part of its broader digital modernization agenda. While the agency’s goal was to improve the speed and accuracy of federal services, concerns were raised over the scope of the data requested, which included sensitive personal information. Initially, the SSA’s acting commissioner at the time denied the request, citing the need to safeguard citizens’ privacy. A leadership change at the SSA later led to the data-sharing agreement moving forward, prompting legal challenges from civil liberties organizations.
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