This week, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has joined forces with Protect Democracy and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) to urge private companies processing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments to deny a federal request for access to sensitive data of SNAP recipients. The groups argue that this request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is unprecedented and potentially illegal.
For over six decades, the USDA has funded states to manage SNAP without seeking personal information about beneficiaries, who are mainly low-income families, disabled individuals, or older adults. The CDT and its partners express concern that compelling states to hand over such data could pose significant privacy risks and deter Americans from utilizing essential benefits.
The coalition's letter emphasizes the importance of privacy protection and calls on SNAP payment processors to resist what they describe as a "broad and dangerous attempt at government overreach."
Read the full letter.