Policy
DOJ to appeal intelligence court ruling over use of spying power
A judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court took issue with how spy agencies use filtering tools to sift through raw data collected by the FISA 702 program.
Digital Government
Appeals court removes limits on DOGE access to SSA data despite ‘alarming’ revelations
The Friday decision follows a January court filing in which the government conceded that DOGE associates may have improperly accessed sensitive data at the agency.
Policy
Judge renews procedures for 702 surveillance program that could soon lapse
The program still requires reauthorization from Congress, and the judge notably took issue with how spy agencies use filtering tools to sift through raw data collected by the program.
Acquisition
Judge blocks DOD's ban on Anthropic, calls it First Amendment retaliation
The court finds the Pentagon's supply chain risk designation was punishment for public criticism, not a legitimate security threat.
Digital Government
DOGE officials face Hatch Act referrals for work with org aiming to ‘overturn election results’
DOGE employees also shared Social Security data using the third-party server Cloudflare, and according to new court documents, SSA still doesn’t know what data was shared and if its still on Cloudflare.
Cybersecurity
SEC to drop high-profile SolarWinds hack lawsuit
The landmark lawsuit garnered pushback from dozens of cybersecurity leaders last year.
Digital Government
Class action lawsuit alleges data consolidation within USCIS is illegal
Plaintiffs represented by a coalition of advocacy groups have argued that drawing searchable data from other government agencies into a system maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services “far exceed” that system’s scope.
Cybersecurity
Wyden calls for review of US court systems’ cyber posture after case system hack
Since the incident, several district courts have instructed filers not to submit sealed documents, amid risks that the systems protecting them may not be secure.
People
Most major agencies are now indefinitely barred from issuing mass layoffs
The Trump administration's plans to reorganize agencies are "likely unconstitutional," judge says.
People
Judge says she is inclined to further pause layoffs at most major agencies
RIF plans have been frozen for two weeks, but federal court suggests they are unconstitutional and implementation will remain prohibited indefinitely.
People
Judge overturns firing of Democrats on intelligence and privacy oversight body
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has played a major role as a watchdog of controversial intelligence collection programs.
Breaking News
People
SCOTUS: Trump can temporarily move forward with mass firing of some probationary employees
The Supreme Court's ruling applies to 16,000 recently reinstated feds, but some of those are still protected by another court decision.
Defense
Judge orders agencies to preserve discussions in airstrike Signal chat
The directive targets communications in a Signal chat with top intelligence and national security officials between March 11 and March 15 that discussed strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief was inadvertently added to that chat.
Cybersecurity
OPM asks to dismiss email server lawsuit, citing misinterpretation of law
The agency notably released a privacy impact assessment for the dubious email server used to mass-message federal employees about a deferred resignation offer on the same day as the legal dismissal request.
Digital Government
Unions sue Treasury over DOGE access to payment systems
Anonymous plaintiffs also called for a temporary restraining order Tuesday to prevent OPM from using a newly installed email system to mass-message federal employees.
Cybersecurity
Judge dismisses key claims in SEC lawsuit on 2020 SolarWinds hack
The original lawsuit faced pushback from dozens of cybersecurity executives.
Digital Government
Supreme Court sides with Biden admin over contact with social media firms
The decision now lifts potential legal burdens on federal agencies’ communications with social media companies about disinformation on their platforms.
Emerging Tech
EEOC says HR software company Workday should face bias claims in lawsuit
The federal agency filed an amicus brief in a case in which a job applicant is alleging algorithmic discrimination.
Digital Government
Supreme Court clarifies when public officials can block citizens on social media
The Supreme Court unanimously found in a pair of cases that whether a government official can block a constituent on their personal social media account hinges on if a post is a state action or is private conduct.
Exclusive
Cybersecurity