Tech Platforms Urged to Reassess Data Sharing Amid Privacy Threats
Tech platforms must reassess their public data sharing practices due to evolving privacy threats. The consolidation of sensitive federal datasets under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has significantly altered the threat landscape, with potential misuse of shared data by the Trump administration's centralized surveillance capabilities.
The Trump administration's centralization of data and use of powerful analytics tools has created an unprecedented capability for surveillance and political targeting. This, coupled with advancements in matching anonymized data back to individuals, increases the risk of data shared by platforms being weaponized.
Platforms should update their threat models to explicitly consider the pooling of their data with sensitive government data downstream. They should also implement transparent data management strategies, as outlined by the EU Data Act effective from September 12, 2025. This includes clear information obligations, user consent for data usage, protection of personal data under GDPR, and responsible management of data supply. Platforms may choose to stop sharing data or decline requests when it poses heightened privacy risks or lacks sufficient utility.
In response to the new threat environment, tech platforms should re-evaluate their public data sharing practices. By updating their threat models and implementing transparent data management strategies, they can help mitigate the risk of their shared data being misused for surveillance or political targeting.
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