A Department of Energy (DOGE) employee Jordan Wick has been publicly sharing sensitive work-related code on GitHub, including a Twitter DM downloader and geospatial data analysis tools for undersea cables and critical minerals.
Government access to personal data through tech giants has dramatically increased, with Meta, Google, and Apple sharing details of 3.16 million accounts over the past decade. The US government made nearly 500,000 data requests to Google and Meta in the last measured 12 months, exceeding all other 14 Eyes Alliance members combined. These companies' business models prevent them from implementing strong privacy protections, as they rely heavily on user tracking for revenue.
DOGE's widespread disruption of federal agencies has resulted in significant staffing cuts, program terminations, and institutional knowledge loss across multiple sectors. The organization's actions have impacted critical areas including cybersecurity, scientific research, social services, and international aid programs. The consequences of these cuts are expected to have long-lasting effects on government operations and public services.
A massive power outage in Chile affected 8 million homes across 14 regions, disrupting transportation, internet, and mobile services. The government declared a state of emergency and implemented a curfew while investigating the cause of the blackout, which stemmed from a disrupted high-voltage transmission line. By Wednesday, 90% of affected areas had power restored, though 220,000 customers remained without electricity.
Federal judges have blocked DOGE from accessing personal data held by multiple US government departments, including Education, OPM, and Treasury. The rulings came after lawsuits filed by various parties, including the American Federation of Teachers and 19 states led by New York, citing Privacy Act violations and potential irreparable harm.
The University of Pittsburgh has suspended Ph.D. admissions due to uncertainty surrounding NIH funding cuts, which would reduce indirect research cost caps from 59% to 15%. Other major research universities are taking similar precautionary measures, while NIH grant funding has already decreased by 56% compared to 2024.
Apple has discontinued its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) encrypted iCloud storage for new UK users and will require existing users to disable it, following UK security services' demands for backdoor access. The decision affects iCloud backups, photos, notes, and voice memos, while certain data types like passwords and health information will remain encrypted by default.
Apple has withdrawn its Advanced Data Protection iCloud feature from the UK after government demands for backdoor access to encrypted user data worldwide. The UK's request came through a technical capability notice under the Investigatory Powers Act, requiring Apple to create a global backdoor for British security officials. Existing ADP users will need to manually disable the feature during a grace period to maintain their iCloud accounts.
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has gained unprecedented 'God mode' access to multiple federal agencies' digital infrastructure, raising serious security and privacy concerns. The organization has already accessed sensitive systems at USAID and NASA, with plans to enter CDC and FAA systems, potentially exposing critical government data and infrastructure. DOGE's unrestricted access could compromise national security, personal data, and classified information across numerous federal agencies.
SpaceX team visits FAA's Air Traffic Control Command Center to help modernize the system amid recent aviation challenges and layoffs. The visit follows a fatal midair collision and comes as hundreds of FAA probationary employees face termination, raising concerns about understaffing and safety.