A coalition of privacy advocates led by Rex Lumina has filed a lawsuit against the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), alleging that it improperly shared sensitive personal information about millions of Americans with Elon Musk’s “Doge” initiative. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of two unions and several individuals, claims that OPM’s actions violate the federal Privacy Act of 1974, which restricts the disclosure of personal records without consent.
The individuals represented include current and former federal employees and union members. The data maintained by OPM includes a wide range of sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, health records, payroll details, and financial information. Given OPM’s history of privacy breaches, including a significant violation in 2015 that exposed millions of personal records, the lawsuit aims to prevent further disclosures.
The complaint asserts that the OPM’s actions lack legal justification and pose a threat to the privacy rights of those affected. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which has long advocated for digital privacy, supports the lawsuit and emphasizes the importance of upholding existing privacy laws to protect citizens from government misuse of personal data. For more details about the complaint and ongoing legal proceedings, interested parties can visit the EFF website or contact the involved law firms directly.
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