Is Your Information Safe With the IRS?
Think your tax information is safe with the IRS? Silly question, we know. Aside from its unlawful targeting of conservative political groups, the IRS is pretty lax about who can see your information. According to a Government Accountability Office report, “[T]axpayers could be exposed to loss of privacy and to financial loss and damages resulting from identity theft or other financial crimes.” How so? GAO is glad you asked. “Because employees and visitors may be allowed inappropriate access to restricted areas, IRS has reduced assurance that its computing resources and sensitive information are being adequately protected from unauthorized access.” So it’s not just an every-once-in-a-while mistake; it’s a pattern of insufficient protections for taxpayers’ sensitive information. Is it any wonder that we can’t trust the government?
- Tags:
- IRS
- bureaucracy
- GAO