It is. There is no reason to have an API for this data, it should never be leaving IRS systems.
> This would make it easy for cloud providers to access IRS data including taxpayer names, addresses, social security numbers, tax returns, and employment information, which could all be exported to external systems. According to Wired, a third-party party vendor would manage parts of the project, with Palantir “consistently” brought up as a candidate.
> “It’s basically an open door controlled by Musk for all Americans’ most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data,” an anonymous IRS worker reportedly told Wired.
they want to make IRS data available to other branches of the government, namely ICE, FBI, DOJ, etc. Which of course is illegal, but of course this administration doesn't care about that. They also don't seem to understand that part of the reasoning of keeping that information secret is to avoid discouraging criminals or undocumented immigrants from paying taxes.
The word corruption sounds inadequate for an administration that is built on the idea that doesn’t even pretend to recognize laws to follow.
Just as an example of what I mean, no other democracy in the world has a cabinet filled with a bunch of billionaires.
In any other democracy in the world, the leader simply couldn’t openly appoint his biggest donor who also happened to be the biggest government contractor to go ahead and control government payments right out in the open.
There are dozens of things Trump had done openly that would have resulted in massive scandals in even some of the least democratic democracies in the world.
This will be as secure as your home router. I.e. not really, with some nice back doors.
Discussion (46 points, 1 day ago, 30 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43594572
What’s the goal here? I thought taxpayer data is supposed to be confidential
It is. There is no reason to have an API for this data, it should never be leaving IRS systems.
> This would make it easy for cloud providers to access IRS data including taxpayer names, addresses, social security numbers, tax returns, and employment information, which could all be exported to external systems. According to Wired, a third-party party vendor would manage parts of the project, with Palantir “consistently” brought up as a candidate.
> “It’s basically an open door controlled by Musk for all Americans’ most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data,” an anonymous IRS worker reportedly told Wired.
they want to make IRS data available to other branches of the government, namely ICE, FBI, DOJ, etc. Which of course is illegal, but of course this administration doesn't care about that. They also don't seem to understand that part of the reasoning of keeping that information secret is to avoid discouraging criminals or undocumented immigrants from paying taxes.
I assume there is a lawsuit. Seems like everything the Trump administration does results in a lawsuit. Most corrupt administration in US history.
I think "invidious" is a better term. "Corrupt" may be correct but it doesn't capture enough.
The word corruption sounds inadequate for an administration that is built on the idea that doesn’t even pretend to recognize laws to follow.
Just as an example of what I mean, no other democracy in the world has a cabinet filled with a bunch of billionaires.
In any other democracy in the world, the leader simply couldn’t openly appoint his biggest donor who also happened to be the biggest government contractor to go ahead and control government payments right out in the open.
There are dozens of things Trump had done openly that would have resulted in massive scandals in even some of the least democratic democracies in the world.