Social Security Administration employees were warned Thursday that they are no longer allowed to read "general news" on work devices, among other internet-use restrictions, NBC News reported.
"SSA is implementing additional restrictions to the categories of websites prohibited from government-furnished equipment," the agency wrote in an email to employees. "Effective today, March 6, 2025, the categories include: Online shopping, General News; and Sports. These additional restrictions will help reduce risk and better protect the sensitive information entrusted to us in our many systems."
Employees are permitted to request exceptions to these restrictions from a supervisor.
"Social Security employees should be focused on mission-critical work and serving the American people," a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement. "Therefore, we implemented additional restrictions to the categories of websites prohibited from government-furnished equipment, including online shopping, general news, and sports. Employees may request an exception if they have a business need for job-specific duties."
An SSA employee told The Washington Post that the restrictions could impact the staff's ability to check news sites and obituaries, which are crucial to detecting Social Security fraud.
Another SSA employee told the Post that the agency is currently in "chaos," saying staffers "are terrified and no one knows anything, including our supervisors."
One SSA staffer blamed the Department of Government Efficiency and its leader, Elon Musk, for driving down morale.
"Morale is in the toilet," the employee said. "We all know what DOGE wants to do, which is just break us, so they can privatize us."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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