Lawmakers Demand Investigation into Tax Prep Firms Sharing Customer Data with Google and Meta

Lawmakers, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, are urging the Biden administration to investigate tax prep software companies for potentially illegally sharing customer data with tech giants Google and Meta (formerly Facebook). The lawmakers' probe, which builds on previous reporting, revealed that sensitive financial information from millions of taxpayers was shared with these tech firms through tax prep software. The lawmakers argue that both the tax prep companies and tech platforms were "reckless" in handling this sensitive information. They believe that the tax prep companies may have violated taxpayer privacy laws, potentially resulting in criminal penalties. The lawmakers also called for new policies to prevent similar issues in the future.