Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to Host Hackathon for Mega API
Background
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans to host a hackathon next week focused on the creation of a “mega API” that will provide access to taxpayer data, according to Wired.
Organizers and Goals
Wired says the hackathon is being organized by two DOGE staffers at the Internal Revenue Service — Gavin Kliger and Sam Corcos, who’s also CEO at healthtech startup Levels. Corcos has reportedly been telling others at DOGE that his goal is to build “one new API to rule them all.”
Scope and Implications
This would make it easy for cloud providers to access IRS data including taxpayer names, addresses, social security numbers, tax returns, and employment information, which could all be exported to external systems. According to Wired, a third-party party vendor would manage parts of the project, with Palantir “consistently” brought up as a candidate.
Criticisms and Concerns
“It’s basically an open door controlled by Musk for all Americans’ most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data,” an anonymous IRS worker reportedly told Wired.
Conclusion
The planned hackathon and the creation of a mega API raise significant concerns about the security and privacy of taxpayer data. The fact that a third-party vendor may be involved and that Palantir is being considered as a candidate for the project only adds to the concerns.
