technology and tech - In an alarming development that raises serious questions about government oversight and accountability, members of the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) established and operated...
a shadow social media account for the Small Business Administration (SBA) without proper authorization or coordination with the agency's communications team.
According to documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, DOGE operatives Donald Park and Edward Coristine created the @DOGE_SBA account on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after entering the agency. This unauthorized account operated in parallel with the SBA's official X presence, which has existed since 2010 and is managed by professional communications staff.
The shadow account's creation represents a concerning pattern of DOGE operating as an autonomous entity within government agencies, bypassing established protocols and oversight mechanisms. Perhaps most troubling is evidence that the account accepted potential whistleblower complaints via direct message, raising serious questions about proper handling of sensitive information.
This incident highlights the broader implications of DOGE's unprecedented approach to government operations. Traditional government social media management involves careful coordination between various departments, adherence to communication guidelines, and proper training in handling sensitive information. DOGE's circumvention of these established processes creates potential security risks and accountability gaps.
The situation has drawn criticism from government oversight experts and former officials. A former U.S. government public affairs official, speaking anonymously, emphasized how unusual and potentially dangerous this practice is, noting that social media has always been carefully controlled territory within government agencies.
The broader context suggests this may be part of a systematic effort by DOGE to establish parallel communication channels across multiple agencies. Documents reveal that similar DOGE-affiliated accounts exist for at least 32 other government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration.
According to documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, DOGE operatives Donald Park and Edward Coristine created the @DOGE_SBA account on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after entering the agency. This unauthorized account operated in parallel with the SBA's official X presence, which has existed since 2010 and is managed by professional communications staff.
The shadow account's creation represents a concerning pattern of DOGE operating as an autonomous entity within government agencies, bypassing established protocols and oversight mechanisms. Perhaps most troubling is evidence that the account accepted potential whistleblower complaints via direct message, raising serious questions about proper handling of sensitive information.
This incident highlights the broader implications of DOGE's unprecedented approach to government operations. Traditional government social media management involves careful coordination between various departments, adherence to communication guidelines, and proper training in handling sensitive information. DOGE's circumvention of these established processes creates potential security risks and accountability gaps.
The situation has drawn criticism from government oversight experts and former officials. A former U.S. government public affairs official, speaking anonymously, emphasized how unusual and potentially dangerous this practice is, noting that social media has always been carefully controlled territory within government agencies.
The broader context suggests this may be part of a systematic effort by DOGE to establish parallel communication channels across multiple agencies. Documents reveal that similar DOGE-affiliated accounts exist for at least 32 other government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration.