The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), seeking to halt the disclosure of sensitive personal information of millions of Americans.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that OPM's sharing of federal employee data with DOGE and Elon Musk violates the Privacy Act of 1974. The Act requires obtaining consent before sharing personal information with third parties.
The data in question includes highly sensitive information such as social security numbers, health records, background checks, salary details, and union activities of federal employees, contractors, and job applicants.
"This massive trove of information represents one of the largest datasets of personal data in the US," stated the EFF in their complaint. The organization warns that unauthorized access puts federal employees at risk of privacy violations, political pressure, blackmail, and targeted attacks.
Several prominent unions have joined as plaintiffs, including the American Federation of Government Employees AFL-CIO and the Association of Administrative Law Judges. The legal team includes representatives from Lex Lumina LLP, State Democracy Defenders Fund, and The Chandra Law Firm.
This action follows a recent ruling by US District Judge Paul Engelmayer, who issued a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE employees from accessing Treasury Department data, citing risks of "irreparable harm" from potential data breaches and system vulnerabilities.
The EFF is requesting immediate court intervention to stop the data sharing and demands the deletion of any information already accessed by DOGE. The lawsuit also seeks financial damages for affected individuals whose privacy rights may have been violated.
Military veterans expressed particular concern about the data access. Some plaintiffs worry about personal safety risks and potential interference with their benefits, given the sensitive nature of their service records and current benefit status.
OPM and the Education Department have declined to comment on the pending litigation.