Government Policies Spark Concerns Over Data Privacy

The article by Jason Chaffetz, a former House Oversight Committee chairman, alleges that the Biden administration has secretly collected and utilized citizens' data to manipulate elections, silence dissenting voices, and surveil citizens. Chaffetz claims that federal agencies outsourced data collection to politically aligned nonprofits and tech companies, bypassing constitutional authority. The article highlights several instances of alleged voter manipulation, warrantless surveillance, and censorship, including the targeting of conservative nonprofits, gun makers, and individuals like Melania and Barron Trump. Chaffetz warns that if left unchecked, this data weaponization will continue beyond the Biden administration, threatening democracy and free speech.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will eliminate its scientific research arm, firing hundreds of scientists, despite previously denying plans to do so. The move is part of the Trump administration's efforts to slash the federal workforce and dismantle federal agencies. The EPA's science office provides independent research that underpins the agency's policies and regulations, and its elimination has been met with criticism from scientists, unions, and environmental groups.

The Trump administration plans to shift the focus of the Title X family planning program from primarily providing birth control to low-income women to also helping aspiring mothers get pregnant, with a new grant announced for an 'infertility training center' that promotes 'holistic' approaches to combating infertility. This move is seen as a way to appease both religious conservatives and adherents of the Make America Healthy Again agenda. Critics worry that this change will divert funds from birth control services, while supporters argue it will broaden the program's services to meet the health needs of women and families.