The Social Security Administration installs regional employees and converts all public contacts to X

The Social Security Administration will not communicate with the media and the public through press brochures and “dear colleague” messages, because it transformed its public communication exclusively. The news comes amid discounts in the agency’s major employees.

“We no longer plan to issue press or dear colleague’s messages to inform the media and the public of software and service changes,” said SSA regional commissioner Linda Kerr Davis at a meeting with managers earlier this week. “Instead, the agency will use X to communicate with the press and the public … so this will become our communication mechanism.”

Previously, the agency used a colleague of my dear colleague to interact with the call groups and third -party organizations that help people reach the advantages of social security. Modern messages covered everything again the agency ID verification procedures SSA accuracy updates Death records (“Less than 1 percent has been reported by the error to be corrected.” Elon Musk Claims).

The messages and press data were also a decisive communication tool for SSA employees, who used it to stay in agency news. Since SSA staff cannot subscribe to social media on government computers without submitting a special safety request, change may have negative consequences for employees’ ability to perform their jobs.

It can also affect people who receive the advantages of social security who rely on messages for information about the advantages of access. “Do you really expect the elderly to join this platform?” One current employee request. “Most managers are not even on it. How is this not conflicting interests?” Another employee added: “This will guarantee that the public does not get the information they need to stay on a permanent knowledge.”

The Social Security Administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment by WIRED. Linda Kerr Davis did not immediately respond to a request for comment by WIRED.

Elon Musk, who leads this charge to reduce the size of the federal workforce on behalf of President Trump, X (then Twitter) in October 2022. He fought the platform for years the spread of wrong information. After the company bought, Musk launched the content managers of the contract and converted the contents of the content to the factory examination tool from the public sources called Notes Community. In 2023, European Union official warned The platform was a major source of fake news, based on a study with a commission that “Twitter has the highest possibility to discover” misinformation.

The workforce in the regional office will soon be reduced by about 87 percent, and the sources have been told. Regional office staff manages information technology support, policy questions, labor relations issues, reasonable residency directives, and public relations. Since February, SSA has reduced 7000 jobs, according to Washington Post.

Today, in the agency there are 547 employees working in dozens of regional offices almost (previously, the number was closer to 700, but many people retired, a current employee knowing the employment numbers he says). After the discounts, the number is expected to be closer to 70. “We know that you all depend on these people to manage your confrontation line, to help questions,” said Kiir Davis, who works in the Kansas City regional office. “I will be very frank here in the participation that the support will be very little so that we can stand on our slim regional office.”

Kiir Davis admitted that restructuring could limit the agency’s ability to fight fraud, which is the main goal of the so -called government efficiency management of Eileon Musk. “Will experts experts directly lead to fraud, waste and assault?” I asked the call, and read a question from the SSA employee. “And yes, I mean, we rely on (their help) … things will break, and will explode quickly.”

In the call, Kerr Davis seemed to resign while reporting the news of the changes. “I know this seems to be from foreigners for you, I also did it,” she said. “This is not what we are accustomed to, but we are at different times now.”

Vitoria Elliot and David Gilbert contributed to the reports.