The Social Security Administration Reduces Regional Staff and Centralizes All Public Communications in X.
The SSA's shift to Elon Musk's platform X comes at a time when the agency plans to reduce its staff in regional offices by approximately 90 percent.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has decided to cease communication with the media and the public through press releases and "Dear Colleague" letters, opting to use the X platform exclusively for its communication. This decision comes amid significant staff cuts at the agency. Linda Kerr-Davis, the regional commissioner of the SSA, stated in a meeting with managers that no written statements or letters will be issued to inform about changes in programs and services, and that X will be the primary channel for communication.
Previously, the "Dear Colleague" letters were used to engage with advocacy groups and organizations that assist individuals in obtaining social security benefits. These letters addressed various topics, from new identity verification procedures to the accuracy of the SSA's death records. One example of this was the clarification that "less than a third of one percent" of deaths are reported incorrectly, contrary to claims made by Elon Musk.
The elimination of these communications could affect the ability of SSA employees to stay informed about agency news, as they cannot access social media from government computers without following additional security protocols. It may also impact social security beneficiaries who rely on these reports for crucial information about benefits.
One employee expressed concern about the decision, questioning how seniors are expected to adapt to this new platform, while another pointed out that this measure could limit public access to necessary information. Kerr-Davis has not yet responded to requests for comments on the matter.
From the White House administration, it has been indicated that the SSA continues to actively communicate with beneficiaries and stakeholders, dismissing the notion that there has been a significant reduction in staff. In fact, it is claimed that some workers are being reassigned to improve service delivery. Elon Musk, who acquired X in October 2022, has been pushing to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
It is estimated that the staffing of the SSA's regional offices will be reduced by approximately 87%, and nearly 7,000 jobs have been eliminated since February. The current number of employees in the regional offices is 547, and it is projected that after the cuts, that figure will drop to about 70. Kerr-Davis acknowledged that this restructuring could make it more difficult to prevent fraud, an important goal of the new administration. In her remarks, she evoked a sense of resignation regarding the imminent changes, recognizing that these times are different and that they do not resemble what the agency was accustomed to.