Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating federal agencies to break down what he calls "information silos" and share data more freely across the government. Now, this might sound reasonable — after all, who doesn't want more efficiency in government? It's like saying, "Who doesn't want more puppies in the world?" But just like if someone offered you a thousand puppies to keep in your studio apartment, you might want to ask some follow-up questions.
The order further requires agencies to grant "full and prompt access" to unclassified records, data, and systems to designated federal officials.
The stated goal here is to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.
To be fair, improper government payments are a real problem. The Government Accountability Office, not typically known as the life of the party unless the party is about spreadsheets, estimates that about two-thirds of these improper payments could be prevented through better data sharing. While that might sound great on the surface what it actually means is something else altogether.
Because this executive order doesn't just suggest agencies should talk to each other more — it demands "unfettered access" to data. "Unfettered". That's a word you typically only hear in dystopian sci-fi movies or when describing what happens when you let your uncle have unlimited access to the open bar at your wedding.
Even worse, the order specifically grants the Secretary of Labor access to all unemployment data and payment records.
Now, you might be wondering, "Who's going to be looking at all this newly shared data?" Well, that's where DOGE comes in. The same man who tweets at 3 AM about Mars colonies, lies about his prowess in video games, and challenges other billionaires to cage fights is now in charge of streamlining the federal government and, apparently, getting his hands on all your personal data. It's like putting a toddler in charge of a chocolate factory and telling her, "Try not to eat everything."
DOGE has already started looking into death records, new hire information, and Social Security benefits. Musk claims fraud could be costing taxpayers trillions of dollars. And to be clear, reducing fraud is good. But the question is: at what cost?
Because there are legitimate privacy concerns here. On the same day Trump signed this order, a federal judge in Maryland actually blocked DOGE employees from accessing sensitive information at the Social Security Administration. Another ruling blocked their access to Treasury Department payment systems. It's almost as if the judicial branch is saying, "Hey, maybe don't give unfettered access to everyone's personal information to a department run by the guy who named his kid after a keyboard smash."
The Electronic Privacy Information Center, or EPIC (which is both their acronym and what this situation is quickly becoming), said the order "signals the administration's intent to further defy federal privacy safeguards" and would "consolidate control over federal databases of personal records to an unprecedented degree."
And here's where things get especially concerning. Elizabeth Laird from the Center for Democracy and Technology warned that this order is "opening the floodgates for unplanned uses of information that go far beyond what people expected when they entrusted their data to the government."
That's the key point here. When you fill out a form for unemployment benefits or Social Security, you're probably not thinking, "I can't wait for this information to be shared with seventeen different agencies and possibly Elon Musk's laptop!" You're thinking, "I need help, and this is the process I have to follow to get it."
There is a balance to be struck here. Fraud is bad. Wasting taxpayer money is bad. But creating a surveillance state where privacy protections are tossed aside like salad at a steakhouse isn't great either.
As this executive order takes effect, we're likely to see more court battles as agencies try to figure out how to balance data sharing with existing privacy laws. And the states might not be too keen on sharing data from programs they administer with federal funding, especially if they feel like that data might be used for purposes they didn't sign up for.
The tension between efficiency and privacy isn't new, but this executive order seems to be putting a very heavy thumb on the scale in favor of sharing everything with everyone who has a government badge. And while catching fraud is important, we should probably be asking if we're comfortable with a system where, as EPIC's John Davisson put it, "there's no scrap of Americans' personal data they shouldn't have access to."
When it comes to our personal information, maybe some silos are there for a reason. Maybe, just maybe, the information about your health, finances, and that time you accidentally claimed your cat as a dependent shouldn't all be available in one convenient dashboard labeled "Everything About Steve from Ohio."