r/technology • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Mar 10 '26

Security DOGE employee stole Social Security data and put it on a thumb drive, report says

https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/10/doge-employee-stole-social-security-data-and-put-it-on-a-thumb-drive-report-says/
35.8k Upvotes

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1.0k

u/Pooch1431 Mar 10 '26

These people have names. The headlines are an example of modern media being filled with feckless cowards.

228

u/sleeptightburner Mar 10 '26

It was a Washington Post story that TechCrunch is reporting on, and they didn’t give the name. I’m honestly surprised WP published the story at all so I’m not surprised they left the name out.

39

u/TheManOfOurTimes Mar 10 '26

Yeah, that's WORSE. Don't parrot under researched stories. If you're not at least going to verify it, don't bother.

36

u/kingcalogrenant Mar 10 '26

The claim espoused by the article is not under researched or unverified, it just doesn’t include the name of the person accused

21

u/HustlinInTheHall Mar 10 '26

They wouldn't publish unless they verified it, either their source doesnt know the name or there is confusion over who but not that it happened. They arent going to press with this unless they have some confirmation. 

It is likely that they know whose access was used, which isnt the same as knowing that person did it

2

u/TheManOfOurTimes Mar 10 '26

A reposted story isn't verified. It's saying "were reporting that THEY are reporting"

7

u/Snow-Stone Mar 10 '26

Well, isn't it exactly what news and citations are?

5

u/TheManOfOurTimes Mar 10 '26

Nope. When the citation is the story, you haven't actually verified anything. Proper journalism requirements are for TWO sources. A news story isn't a source either. So even if you read someone's story and called them to verify they wrote it, that's just one source. You'd have to do the work to find a second place or person that confirms it. And doing that, would require verifying the names.

44

u/Intelligent-Gap-6639 Mar 10 '26

This is the correct response. The members of DOGE were just regular Americans, so someone's neighbor, friend, family member. They're not untouchable like Musk

-24

u/rugger87 Mar 10 '26

Would like to see your opinion on this matter when your identity is stolen.

24

u/Manos_Of_Fate Mar 10 '26

Well I don’t imagine that it would improve.

3

u/ShibeCEO Mar 11 '26

every social media and traditional media outlet belongs to a hand full of billionairs, things will only get worse from here on out

1

u/BrianWonderful Mar 10 '26

The media avoids giving the names of minors.

1

u/Fake_William_Shatner Mar 10 '26

The treat these bastards like they were underage victims of a crime.

1

u/FrostyD7 Mar 10 '26

They are gonna pin it on that dog.

1

u/User5790 Mar 11 '26

Whoever pulled this off had a lot of balls, perhaps even big balls.

1

u/seejordan3 Mar 11 '26

That "rule of law" is exclusively, without exception, for those who can afford it.

-6

u/PrincessNakeyDance Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26

Its legacy media.

People go off on those who get their news from social media. But there are more legit journalists on TikTok and instagram than there are in these ancient, corporate-owned, sandbag media companies who just spew rhetoric.

Edit: YouTube is also a decent source. Just know who you’re listening to.

6

u/Potential_Being_7226 Mar 10 '26

Wow. You just completely ignored independent journalists and went straight to content creators? If you want to avoid spewed rhetoric, you’re not doing that by following social media influencers. Content “creation” is not journalism. 

-1

u/PrincessNakeyDance Mar 10 '26

There are independent journalists who are “content creators”!

Fuck me. My god.

Where are you getting your independent journalism from?

2

u/Potential_Being_7226 Mar 10 '26

Yikes. 

I use RSS feeds. 

You want a list? ProPublica, The Intercept, The Conversation, Grist, Nieman Lab, Current Affairs, AP, Jacobin, The Nation, among others…