Subj : US government cuts key software division without warning
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Mon Mar 03 2025 13:15:08

US government cuts key software division without warning

Date:
Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:11:00 +0000

Description:
A key US government technology department has been slashed in drive for 
"efficiency".

FULL STORY
======================================================================The US 
government's General Services Administration department's 18F has been 
dissolved Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency seems to be behind 
the cuts 18F was a software and procurement group which helped a range of 
government agencies 

A technology unit from the General Services Administration (GSA) has had its 
budget all but eliminated, affecting around 70 software engineers and 
strategists, as well as researchers, service designers, and procurements 
specialists. 

The cuts were masterminded by Elon Musks Department for Government Efficiency 
(DOGE) , and are part of an ongoing campaign to slash government spending. 

Founded in 2014, the Unit, 18F, developed key public-facing IT services, like 
Login.gov - the central login system for services like Medicaid, Social 
Security, and Medicare. 18F was also responsible for helping government 
agencies buy and build technology, improve user experience, and make services 
accessible, and the unit collaborated with many departments, so the effects 
of the cuts will be felt across the board. A sledgehammer approach 

The department had previously been labeled as a far left government wide 
computer office by a Musk supporter, to which the de-facto DOGE director 
replied That group has been deleted. 

All 18F's support on that work has now abruptly come to a halt, the group 
said in a statement . 

Since the entire staff was also placed on administrative leave, we have been 
locked out of our computers, and have no chance to assist in an orderly 
transition in our work. We dont even have access to our personal employment 
data. Were supposed to return our equipment, but cant use our email to find 
out how or where. 

These are not the first federal workers to be laid off, with over 110,000 
federal employees leaving their posts since Trump took office, although 
around 77,000 of these accepted the administrations deferred resignation 
program. 

Dismantling 18F follows the gutting of the original US Digital Service. These 
cuts are just the most recent in a series of a sledgehammer approach to the 
critical US teams supporting IT infrastructure. 

 DOGE was also recently hit with a wave of lawsuits following complaints 
about the department breaching the privacy of millions of Americans by 
accessing extraordinarily sensitive details about federal workers and anyone 
who has ever applied for a federal job. You might also like "Swindler" - Musk 
leads blockbuster bid to buy OpenAI for $97.4bn, but Sam Altman hits back 
with own bid for X Check out our recommendations for the best website builder 
Elon Musk and DOGE are using Slack, Salesforce CEO Benioff says



======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/us-government-cuts-key-software-division-without
-warning


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