Musk's AI Surveillance of Federal Workers Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns

New revelations detail DOGE's use of AI and private messaging tools to monitor federal communications for anti-Trump sentiment, fueling transparency and privacy fears.

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly using AI tools, including the Grok chatbot, to monitor federal employees' communications for language critical of Donald Trump or Musk.
DOGE staff are utilizing the Signal app for internal communications, which experts warn may violate federal record-keeping laws due to its disappearing message feature.
At the Environmental Protection Agency, AI surveillance is being deployed to track employee communications, coinciding with significant budget cuts and mass layoffs under DOGE's oversight.
DOGE's operations are marked by secrecy, with restricted access to sensitive databases and accusations of bypassing transparency and accountability norms within government processes.
Legal and ethical experts have raised concerns about potential abuses of power, including the suppression of dissent and the misuse of advanced technologies for political purposes.