If you’ve received SNAP (food stamp) benefits at any time since January 2020, there are major new changes you need to know about. The government is now collecting more detailed information about SNAP recipients than ever before—and most people don’t even know it’s happening.
Let’s break down what’s changing, why it’s happening, and how it could affect your benefits and your privacy.
What’s Happening with SNAP?
On May 6th, the USDA announced that every state must now hand over detailed records about people who receive SNAP benefits. This includes:
- Your name, date of birth, and Social Security number
- Your full address and contact information
- When you applied for SNAP and how much you’ve received each month
- How and where you’ve used your EBT card
This data collection isn’t just limited to recent transactions—it goes all the way back to January 1, 2020. That’s five full years of history that will be gathered from state agencies and even private EBT processors.
Remember, they don’t need your permission to do this. You won’t get a letter. This is happening behind the scenes, thanks in part to a recent executive order that gave federal agencies the authority to access any data tied to federally funded programs—even if it’s stored by private companies.
Why This is Happening
The stated goal? To catch fraud, reduce waste, and improve oversight. But critics worry that this opens the door to greater surveillance and puts recipients’ privacy at risk.
While fraud prevention is important—especially with growing cases of EBT theft tied to international crime rings—the overwhelming majority of SNAP recipients are not criminals. They are families, seniors, and people just trying to survive on limited incomes.
Instead of targeting scammers directly, this sweeping data grab affects everyone. And when paired with budget proposals that could make SNAP harder to get and easier to lose, it’s clear that bigger changes are coming.
Who Could Be Affected
Everyone who received SNAP benefits from January 2020 onward will have their data collected under this new initiative. That includes personal details, transaction history, and EBT usage going back five years.
This includes:
- Working families who rely on SNAP to supplement their income
- Seniors living on fixed incomes
- Individuals with disabilities who may face additional barriers to accessing benefits
- Parents and caregivers managing household expenses
It’s not entirely clear how this information will be analyzed, handled, stored, or secured—but it’s clear that this level of surveillance is unprecedented.
Glitch Groups Could Be At Risk
When I first heard this news, I thought about the DoorDash EBT glitch that we reported on back in 2023. This glitch allowed SNAP users to buy non-food items through the platform, so many people used it to buy Christmas gifts for their children.
The glitch was quickly shared across TikTok and Facebook groups dedicated to finding and exploiting EBT loopholes.
That’s part of the problem, of course. Some influencers have built massive followings by sharing affiliate links to products that are incorrectly marked EBT-Eligible. This has included everything from cheap dental care products to a $200 coffee maker that was marked EBT-eligible on Amazon for a while. In many cases, these influencers insist that these products are perfectly legal to buy even if they aren’t.
Many of these purchases were made during the pandemic, when extra SNAP allotments gave families more breathing room—and in some cases, more temptation to try out these widely circulated tips.
Now, with federal agencies going back through years of transaction history, it seems likely to me that people who participated in these trends—even unknowingly—could face consequences. And unfortunately, SNAP rules are strict. What might feel like a minor mistake or a gray area could be viewed as a serious violation.
That’s why it’s so important to understand the rules of the program and be cautious about following advice from influencers or online groups. Although I do my best to fact-check everything and let you know when I’m not sure about something, I always recommend doing your own research too—just to be safe.
If you’re worried about how these changes might affect you, take a moment to read our guide on Intentional Program Violations so you know what to look out for.
More Changes Coming Soon
Alongside this new data policy, lawmakers in Congress are debating major cuts and stricter rules for SNAP. Here are some of the proposed changes:
- Work requirements for parents with children as young as seven years old
- Three-month time limits for able-bodied adults who don’t meet work thresholds
- Cost-sharing requirements that would force states to pay a portion of SNAP benefits for the first time
- Penalty provisions that tie state funding to error rates—even if those errors are caused by paperwork mistakes or outdated tech
These proposals could impact millions of families, especially if states respond by tightening eligibility rules or reducing benefits to cut costs.
Relief Recap
This new data collection policy marks a major shift in how SNAP benefits are monitored—and it’s not the only change coming. While the government says this effort is aimed at reducing fraud, it also raises serious questions about privacy, fairness, and transparency.
Now is the time to stay informed, be cautious, and speak up. Contact your lawmakers. Read up on the rules. And most importantly, protect yourself by avoiding shady advice and checking the facts before you swipe your card.