DOGE's AI Surveillance of Federal Workers Raises Ethical Concerns
12 Sources
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Exclusive: Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say
April 8 (Reuters) - Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk's DOGE team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency's communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda, said two people
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DOGE is reportedly using AI to monitor government comms for anti-Musk and anti-Trump chatter
The initiative's staffers are also said to be using Signal to communicate with each other. A new report from has shed light on how Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is employing tech in its processes, including the alleged use of to monitor communications. The initiative is
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Federal workers fear Musk's 'efficiency' agency is using AI to spy on them: 'They are omnipresent'
The billionaire's Doge may be secretly recording meetings in at least two agencies, according to emails from senior officials At the Department of Veterans Affairs, a senior official warned employees in an email that virtual meetings were being secretly recorded. Anyone dissatisfied with Donald
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Exclusive-Musk's DOGE Using AI to Snoop on U.S. Federal Workers, Sources Say
(Reuters) - Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk's DOGE team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency's communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda, said two people with
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DOGE's AI Monitoring of Federal Workers Is Alarming -- But Not Illegal
There's apparent confirmation of February allegations from federal workers who claimed they'd found spyware installed on their computers that could monitor worker activity after Musk's Department of Government Efficiency had swept through their offices on their mission to purge what it called
[6]
The A.I. Doctrine Dismantling America's Innovation Workforce
Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is slashing jobs, feeding confidential data to private A.I. and watching federal employees like it's a Black Mirror reboot. Under the flimsy pretext of efficiency, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is gutting its workforce. An independent
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Is Elon Musk's DOGE Team spying on federal employees using AI for Anti-Trump sentiments?
Trump administration officials allege Elon Musk's DOGE team is using AI to monitor federal agency communications for anti-Trump sentiment. Concerns arise over data security and potential misuse of information. DOGE's use of Signal and Grok AI raises transparency issues, with critics fearing
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Elon Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on US federal workers, sources say
The use of AI and Signal reinforces concerns among cybersecurity experts and government ethicists that DOGE is operating with limited transparency and that billionaire Musk or the Trump administration could use information gathered with AI to further their own interests, or to go after political
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Elon Musk's DOGE is under fire again for spying on federal workers to detect anti-Trump language: Key points
Tech billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is facing another huge scrutiny. The DOGE is reportedly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to spy on the communications of federal workers to find people critical of the president and his agenda, according to a Reuters
[10]
Elon Musk's Secretive DOGE Team Using AI And Disappearing Messages To Monitor Federal Workers For Anti-Trump Sentiment, Bypassing Records Laws And Locking Out Agencies: Report
Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter A special government unit reportedly linked to Elon Musk and functioning under the Trump administration has been using artificial intelligence tools to scan federal employee communications. What
[11]
Exclusive-Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say
(Reuters) - Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk's DOGE team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency's communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda, said two people with
[12]
Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say
(Reuters) -Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk's DOGE team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency's communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda, said two people with
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Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly using AI to monitor federal workers' communications for anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment, raising concerns about privacy and government overreach.
DOGE's AI Surveillance Program
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly employing artificial intelligence to monitor communications within federal agencies, particularly targeting language considered hostile to President Donald Trump or Musk himself . This surveillance program, which has been implemented in at least one federal agency, marks an unprecedented use of technology to identify perceived disloyalty among government employees .
Implementation at the EPA
At the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Trump appointees have informed some managers that DOGE is deploying AI to monitor communication apps and software, including Microsoft Teams . The AI is reportedly searching for anti-Trump or anti-Musk language, as well as identifying individuals whose work does not align with the administration's mission
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.Widespread Concerns and Fear
The implementation of this AI surveillance has created a culture of fear among federal employees. Workers across various agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing & Urban Development, have reported concerns about being monitored
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. Some employees have resorted to using white noise machines or running water to muffle conversations, fearing potential surveillance3
.DOGE's Operational Methods
In addition to AI surveillance, DOGE staff are reportedly using the Signal app for communication, which may violate federal record-keeping rules due to the app's message deletion features
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. The team is also said to be heavily utilizing Musk's Grok AI chatbot in their efforts to streamline government operations .Ethical and Legal Concerns
Government ethics experts have raised concerns about the lack of transparency in DOGE's operations and the potential for abuse of power. Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert at Washington University in St. Louis, has stated that the use of Signal without proper record-keeping could be unlawful
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Impact on Federal Workforce
The AI surveillance program is being implemented in a workforce already affected by widespread firings and severe budget cuts. The EPA, for instance, has placed nearly 600 employees on leave and plans to eliminate 65% of its budget . Critics argue that these actions, combined with the surveillance program, amount to a purge of non-partisan public servants
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.Government Response
While some agencies have denied specific allegations, many have not responded to requests for comment. The EPA has stated that it is "looking at AI to better optimize agency functions and administrative efficiencies" but denied using AI for personnel decisions
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. The White House, DOGE, and Musk have not responded to requests for comment on these allegations .References
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