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- The Social Security Administration told workers they are prohibited from accessing online news and shopping websites.
- SSA said this move will help better protect sensitive information within the agency.
- An employee who received the email told BI it could hinder the agency’s work.
As the Trump administration continues to restructure the Social Security Adminstration, employees at the agency on Thursday learned they’re now prohibited from reading the news on their work computers.
On Thursday morning, SSA sent an agency-wide email informing employees of new restrictions on internet browsing. The email, reviewed by Business Insider, said that starting on March 6, employees are no longer allowed to access three categories of websites on “government-furnished equipment”: online shopping, general news, and sports.
“Employees with a legitimate business should submit an exception” to their supervisor, the email said.”These additional restrictions will help reduce risk and better protect the sensitive information entrusted to us in our many systems.”
An SSA employee who was granted anonymity to speak freely about their job told BI that there was a staff meeting on Thursday about the latest guidance. During the meeting, employees voiced their concerns that the Microsoft web browser they use automatically reroutes certain homepages to news and sports links.
The employee said that a representative from SSA’s headquarters said there should be no issues as long as workers do not “navigate” to a prohibited site.
“Not a comforting thing in this Bolshevik environment,” the employee said.
The employee also said that SSA workers sometimes search online obituaries to “move things along quicker” to help verify information on beneficiaries. “In some cases surviving family are eligible for benefits but we never receive official notice of death,” they said.
This latest guidance “could mean claims being stuck in limbo,” the employee said.
Thursday’s email follows a notice sent to employees last week offering them voluntary early retirement as part of a “restructuring that will include significant workforce reductions.” Five SSA workers told BI that the cuts could increase customer service wait times and cause payment delays for older Americans and those with disabilities who rely on Social Security benefits.
“Service to the public will undoubtedly suffer. We barely have enough staff now to meet the public’s needs,” one employee said.
Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration has terminated thousands of federal workers and outlined plans to restructure federal agencies as part of the DOGE office’s goal, led by Elon Musk, to slash government waste. The Office of Personnel Management issued a memo in late February asking all federal agencies to submit reorganization plans by March 13.
SSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
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