A plan for cutting regulations and federal institutions such as the FCC could target broadband access programs and media regulations, but it's likely that a wave of litigation will stymie it, administrative law professors and attorneys told us. Future Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) heads Vivek Ramasawamy and Space X CEO Elon Musk laid out their plans in a Wall Street Journal opinion column. “It's not to say that maybe some of these changes shouldn't be happening, but, you know, they're taking a wrecking ball to fix something that requires a little bit more finesse than that,” said University of Idaho law professor Linda Jellum. Asked about possible DOGE cuts at the FCC, incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr last week told reporters, “There's no question, there's tons of room for driving more efficiency at the FCC." He didn't elaborate.
DOGE Litigation
DOGE litigation refers to privacy lawsuits targeting Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has sought access to sensitive personal data from federal agencies including Treasury, Education and OPM. Plaintiffs argue the data transfers violate the Privacy Act of 1974 and lack legal justification or oversight. Several courts have issued temporary restraining orders blocking the disclosure of Social Security, payroll and student loan data while broader legal challenges proceed. This page tracks key litigation, constitutional questions and proposals to modernize the Privacy Act in response to growing concerns over surveillance and government access to personal data.
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