Judge Blocks Musk's Access to SSA Data

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive data at the Social Security Administration (SSA), citing privacy concerns and lack of justification for such extensive access. Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander described DOGE's actions as a 'fishing expedition' in search of fraud without concrete evidence and criticized the broad access as a violation of privacy laws. The ruling mandates DOGE to delete any personal data they possess and restricts their access to systems containing personally identifiable information. Musk has reacted by attacking the judiciary and supporting political moves against 'activist judges'. The legal challenges pose significant obstacles to Musk's plans, as DOGE's operations face numerous lawsuits and scrutiny over their handling of sensitive information. Acting SSA commissioner Lee Dudek expressed concerns over the ruling's broad implications, suggesting it might incapacitate SSA operations.