"Americans are issued Social Security numbers for a variety of purposes. The primary ones are to track earnings, which are then used to calculate future retirement benefits, and identify tax payers. But there's a lot more to Social Security than that. Social Security numbers are also used for employment verification purposes, banking and credit inquiries, and certain government services. It's even a common practice to ask for patients' Social Security numbers in the course of seeking healthcare services."
"In late January, AARP called for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to be held accountable for sharing Social Security data with an advocacy group accused of trying to overturn election results, and for storing private information on Cloudflare. As Nancy LeaMond, AARP chief advocacy and engagement officer, told The Hill, "SSA is entrusted with the sensitive data of hundreds of millions of Americans, and protecting that data from illegal use must be a top priority.""
Social Security numbers track earnings and identify taxpayers, and they also enable employment verification, banking and credit checks, government services, and some healthcare processes. These identifiers are highly sensitive because misuse or exposure can lead to identity theft and other harms. AARP demanded accountability from the Department of Government Efficiency for sharing Social Security data with an advocacy group linked to election overturn efforts and for storing private data on Cloudflare. AARP emphasized the need to protect data for hundreds of millions of Americans, and lawmakers publicly criticized the department's access and handling of Social Security information.
Read at 24/7 Wall St.
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