U.S. Government websites’ redesign sparks fear over surveillance concerns
It turns out that the beautiful new government website might just be watching everything, literally every single click.
When the White House rolled out its slick new digital redesigns, the promise was a modern, Apple Store-like experience. But behind the beautiful interface lies a highly invasive tracking network that secretly monitors citizens, bypassing traditional privacy laws and routing sensitive personal data straight to executive-controlled servers. It’s a startling development that’s turning heads in Washington.
A classic Pew Research study finds that over 82% of online adults visit government websites annually to get information or complete transactions. In fact, 41% download official forms, and 33% renew driver’s licenses online. So, when these portals get a makeover, it’s going to affect almost everyone.
But trust is incredibly fragile these days. While the Electronic Privacy Information Center says that 57% of Americans think it’s totally unacceptable for the government to monitor their communications, about 49% worry that the state can’t even protect their personal data. Unfortunately, government websites have a history of privacy issues.
Research from IMDEA Networks shows that up to 90% of G20 government portals store third-party cookies without asking for user consent. Another analysis, during their investigation with OpenWPM, found third-party tracking cookies on 13.7% of all government pages examined. This background makes the recent White House tracking activities even more concerning.
The quiet rise of the National Design Studio
An executive order signed on August 21, 2025, birthed the National Design Studio, or NDS. It was set up as a temporary office inside the White House, meaning it completely avoids Senate confirmation and normal financial disclosures. This structure allows its operations to remain highly secretive and outside the reach of inspectors general.
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia serves as the nation’s Chief Design Officer. He brought in several veterans from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE. This group includes tech figures like Greg Hogan, creative lead Michael Novia, and even Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, an early DOGE worker linked to past data leaks.
Where’s the funding coming from?
Surprisingly, not a single penny of NDS spending or contracts appears in USAspending, the federal database. It’s a total black box.
Building a shadow digital government
Instead of just fixing old websites, the NDS built replica versions of key federal portals. These include copies of the Login.gov login gateway, a passport application portal, and the voter registration site vote.gov. By routing these through White House systems, the executive branch gains direct control over highly sensitive interactions.
The vote.gov replica is particularly alarming to election officials. Legally, voter registration is overseen by the bipartisan, independent Election Assistance Commission to prevent partisan bias. By running a shadow version live since September 2025, the White House has bypassed these exact checks and balances.
State election directors have expressed serious concerns over compliance with state laws. They worry that a centralized database controlled by the political arm of the White House is a recipe for disaster. It’s an unprecedented shift in administrative power.
Inside the creepy tracking software
Analysis of the source code revealed that NDS had installed the commercial tool PostHog on its public sites. On trumprx.gov and trumpaccounts.gov, the session-recording feature was actively running. This feature literally records and replays every scroll, click, and keystroke like a video of the screen.
It feels downright invasive for a government portal. Watching such a recording is like someone looking over a citizen’s shoulder while they type. The tracking setting can be toggled on for any of the other NDS websites at any moment.
Even worse, the developers configured PostHog to sneak past standard privacy tools. By routing tracking requests through local addresses on federal sites, they fooled ad blockers into thinking it was normal activity. It’s a sneaky way to evade the exact privacy controls that millions of citizens rely on every day.
On the NDS’s own site, ndstudio.gov, they ran a custom 539-line script called AutoMonitor. This script sent user behavior data to an IP address that is invisible on the public internet. They eventually yanked this tracking software on June 4, 2026, after reporters started asking tough questions.
Why privacy advocates are sounding the alarm
This secretive digital redesign completely ignores critical federal transparency laws. None of these sites carried the mandatory privacy impact assessments required by the E-Government Act of 2002. They also ignored the system-of-records notices mandated by the historic Privacy Act of 1974.
John Davisson, senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, did not hold back in his assessment. He warned that this effort is basically trying to establish a fly-by-night, skunk-works version of the federal government with zero accountability. It’s a dangerous precedent that could easily become a permanent tool for executive surveillance.
With DOGE affiliates gaining access to everything from tax info to retirement accounts, the risk of data leaks is sky-high. One major breach could expose the personal data of millions of families to identity thieves and hackers. It’s a massive risk wrapped in a shiny, user-friendly package.
The bottom line on this digital power grab
The White House’s slick new websites might look great, but they hide a massive expansion of executive surveillance. By bypassing traditional agency oversight, duplicating critical databases, and using tracking scripts that evade privacy tools, the administration has created a highly opaque data network. Protecting public trust requires bringing these digital initiatives back under strict legal compliance and independent review.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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