EPIC Launches Second Investigation Into Government Surveillance of Federal Workers 

This week, EPIC launched an investigation into the federal government’s alleged surveillance of its own workers’ communications. Reuters and The Guardian recently reported that federal workers at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) were being surveilled for their sentiments toward President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. This apparent form of loyalty testing is not only an affront to the privacy of federal workers, but also antidemocratic behavior that raises further questions about the government’s willingness to follow the law and the Constitution. 

Let’s be clear: federal workers take an oath to uphold the Constitution, not a loyalty oath to individual officials. Federal workers are the backbone of the agencies that uphold our democracy and support Americans. These civil servants are entitled to support, not stifling surveillance.

EPIC filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the EPA, the VA, and the DOGE to shed light on who is carrying out surveillance and what systems they are using. This is EPIC’s second investigation into the federal government’s surveillance of its workers. In January, EPIC launched an investigation into OPM’s attempts to amass information on federal workers.