Elon Musk’s Task Force Seeks Access to IRS Sensitive Taxpayer Data, Raising Privacy Fears

Elon Musk’s task force, which goes by the name Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is seeking access to sensitive taxpayer data held by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and this is raising privacy fears. The IRS holds personal details like Social Security numbers, home addresses, and income figures in its Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS).

While DOGE has not been given access as of yet, the move has raised eyebrows from Democratic lawmakers and critics, as they worry Musk might use the data to identify political opponents. Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren denounced the move, asking the IRS to explain the potential access granted to DOGE.

White House press secretary Harrison Fields had previously defended the request, stating it was needed to expose waste and fraud in government spending. However, Musk’s recent social media posts on his platform X raised more concerns about his motives, with some individuals concerned that the data could be used for political purposes.