This morning, employees at the Social Security office in Alabama received an email notification informing them that they are prohibited from accessing certain websites on their work computers.
As of March 6, 2025, the Trump Administration changed the policy that previously allowed federal workers to read the news on their laptops during breaks and lunch.
The email with the subject line “A Message to All SSA Employees: Internet Browsing from Government Equipment” stated:
SSA is implementing additional restrictions to the categories of websites prohibited from government-furnished equipment. Effective today, March 6, 2025, the categories include: Online shopping; General News; and Sports. Employees with a legitimate business should submit an exception SAM request for their supervisor’s review.