'Every American Should Be Alarmed': Shontel Brown Decries DOGE's Creation Of 'Master Database'

Forbes Breaking News

During a House Oversight Committee hearing on Thursday, Rep. Shontel  Brown (D-OH) spoke about DOGE's access to sensitive and personal data.

Transcript

00:00Recognize Ms. Brown for five minutes.

00:02Thank you, Madam Chair.

00:03I'm glad this committee is finally turning its attention to the federal government's use of artificial intelligence

00:08because under President Trump, AI isn't being used to serve the people.

00:13It's being abused to serve the powerful.

00:16Doge was a reckless, unregulated, and unethical failure.

00:20And I wouldn't be surprised if some of my colleagues on the other side quietly agree

00:25now that Elon Musk is out here trashing their one big, ugly bill.

00:30So let's be clear about how we got here.

00:33Musk and his cronies were handed the keys to our government's data,

00:36let loose to sidestep security safeguards, strip away federal jobs,

00:40and exploit Americans' personal information unchecked and unaccountable.

00:45They used AI as a blunt force tool to slash thousands of federal jobs

00:51and gut billions in government spending with no transparency or regard for the human cost.

00:57But that's not even the most dangerous part.

01:00Doge has launched an unprecedented power grab over Americans' personal data.

01:06Earlier this year, reports surfaced that a Doge staffer with no credentials and no clearance

01:11reportedly accessed Americans' personal information and shared private data with third parties.

01:17I co-led a letter with Reps Trahan and Del Bene demanding an investigation,

01:22and it might not come as a surprise that we're still waiting for answers.

01:26And we now know this wasn't a one-off.

01:30Whistleblowers have revealed that Doge is actively building a master database,

01:34a centralized system combining sensitive data from across federal and state agencies

01:39that includes Americans' medical records, their credit card numbers, their medical claims,

01:44their student debts, and much, much more.

01:48To build it, the administration has turned to Palantir,

01:51the surveillance firm funded and founded by Republican megadonor Peter Thiel.

01:57And this massive trove of personal information is being built with no oversight,

02:03no security guarantees, and no guardrails.

02:06Here's why every American should be alarmed.

02:09In the wrong hands, this database could be weaponized

02:12to target political enemies, suppress dissent, or survey of the public.

02:18And even in the best-case scenario,

02:20a breach could expose millions to identity theft, blackmail, or worse.

02:26What's most disturbing is how much we still don't know.

02:29But what we do know raises serious concerns

02:32about violations of the Privacy Act, FISMA, and e-government act.

02:36This committee must keep investigating

02:39because we cannot allow AI to become a weapon of surveillance

02:44for surveillance, exploitation, and the dismantling of public institutions.

02:50So, Mr. Shire, how should Americans feel

02:54knowing that Doge is pulling together their most sensitive personal data

02:57to train AI without clear safeguards, oversight, or consent,

03:01and what protections are in place to keep that data from being misused or exposed?

03:05Well, we do have a lot of laws in place.

03:08We have laws protecting the data.

03:10We have laws prescribing how it is used, how it is shared,

03:13and that's what's being bypassed.

03:15So, it really is more a matter of enforcing the laws we have on the books

03:20than writing new laws.

03:22I don't think there's – I don't think we have a need to do anything because of AI

03:26because these problems with data sharing, the security risks,

03:30have been with us for decades, and we do have laws, we do have rules,

03:34and they're being bypassed.

03:35So, let me ask you this.

03:36Given Doge's reported practice of bypassing security protocols

03:39and exporting sensitive data to less secure environments,

03:43how serious is the national security risk,

03:46and are we making it easier for foreign adversary hackers

03:49to access government systems and Americans' personal information?

03:52I mean, we are.

03:53We knew from the first weeks that some of the things Doge's was doing

03:56was bypassing security protocols and removing audit trails.

04:00I mean, basically, eliminating the security mechanisms we have in place

04:03to protect the data.

04:05We've had one example of a Russian actor going in after a Doge employee

04:10using their credentials, and that's the one we know about.

04:13I think these countries are not stupid.

04:15They know how to do espionage.

04:17They've been doing it for decades.

04:18And so, I think, as I said in my remarks,

04:21we have to assume that all of this data has been exfiltrated by our enemies.

04:25I would be very concerned.

04:27Now, it depends on who you are.

04:28The more powerful you are, the more concerned you are,

04:30because the more leverage can be leveraged against you.

04:34Let me be clear.

04:35Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies can offer real benefits,

04:40but only when developed responsibly and with clear guardrails

04:44that protect the American people.

04:46So, I stand ready to work with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle

04:49who are serious about securing our nation's cybersecurity,

04:53safely deploying AI within the federal government,

04:55and ensuring that Americans' data remains safe.

04:59And with that, Madam Chairwoman, I yield back.

05:01Thank you all.

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