The employees of the Social Security Administration (SSA) were informed on Thursday morning that new rules prevent them from accessing “public news” sites, including those that were at the forefront of reports on the so -called Elon Musk Ministry of Governmental efficiency (Doge) an effort.
In an e -mail message reviewed by WIRED and was sent to “All SSA employees” from a postal menu called “Internal Communications”, the agency informed employees that it “implements additional restrictions on the categories of the banned websites of the equipment that was moved to the government. Effective today, March 6, 2025, categories include: online shopping; public news and sports. Government equipment.
Email did not specify the websites in particular that will be banned. However, WIRED emphasized with two sources inside SSA WAID.com It is no longer available today, although it was previously accessible.
The sources also confirmed that the web sites of The Washington Post, New York Times and MSNBC could not have been accessed. However, the sources managed to access other websites including Politico and Axios.
One of the sources in SSA, whose identity was given “The Decorative Local News”. “So if there is a local shooting or something, I will not be able to see it.”
It is not clear who has implemented the block list or what criteria used to distribute, but it seems not based on ideological reasons, as Fox News and Breitbart are also banned.
Friday, weeks later Doj engineers Fixed in SSA, the agency announced plans for Cut 7000 employees. Many of the agency Senior employees to resign. This includes former SSA Commissioner Michel King, who has contracts for experience within the agency. Acting Commissioner Liland Dodik, an average level -level employee who claimed in LinkedIn, which WIRED has reviewed, was replaced by King Dodic, who has been punished by KING to help DOGE engineers upon their first time. Musk and Donald Trump They also continued to pay the conspiracy theory that millions of dead continue to collect social security benefits, despite the fact that these allegations were a statement.
In the hours that followed the first email about banning news sites, some employees received another email of their managers who provide instructions on how to disable news that appears on the Edge Landing page. This was not a requirement, but a recommendation to help employees resist the temptation to click on the news links, a source of email.
Those who are trying to visit Wired.com have been received with a frequency page a lot in the first email. The “URL” degree also included, although it is not clear where this result was obtained, or if it has an effect on the site. Various news sites are granted different degrees, according to the screen shots that are displayed by WIRED.
SSA employees usually use Microsoft Edge as an internet browser. The virtual intended page was set on this browser to show news headlines, according to several SSA sources.
“Employees who have a legal work [sic] The exclusion of SAM’s request must be submitted to review their supervisor, “Follow the email.” These additional restrictions will help reduce risks and protect the sensitive information that we have entrusted in many of our systems. “
Ali Redait, multiple members from FedNews Subreddit Whoever said they worked in SSA claimed that reaching the news in time was an essential part of their job. Others have pointed out that the ability to perform online purchases was an essential component of their work.
SSA did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the new restrictions. The employees in many US government agencies that WIRED contacted said that similar blocs on the news pages were not implemented on their networks.
