Berliner Boersenzeitung - Fired US federal worker in need of releasing steam? Try the internet

EUR -
AED 3.963855
AFN 77.141298
ALL 99.285391
AMD 426.552655
ANG 1.943884
AOA 987.454539
ARS 1156.476528
AUD 1.71234
AWG 1.942533
AZN 1.836039
BAM 1.955583
BBD 2.177758
BDT 131.075451
BGN 1.95529
BHD 0.406774
BIF 3156.616754
BMD 1.079185
BND 1.44494
BOB 7.453173
BRL 6.202297
BSD 1.07858
BTN 92.457738
BWP 14.745363
BYN 3.529808
BYR 21152.030217
BZD 2.16656
CAD 1.544427
CDF 3097.261255
CHF 0.951946
CLF 0.026249
CLP 1007.300441
CNY 7.726377
CNH 7.845747
COP 4500.472144
CRC 538.540224
CUC 1.079185
CUP 28.598408
CVE 110.728693
CZK 24.964575
DJF 191.79305
DKK 7.462069
DOP 68.315345
DZD 144.467284
EGP 54.563724
ERN 16.187778
ETB 139.376405
FJD 2.478672
FKP 0.837437
GBP 0.833244
GEL 3.000024
GGP 0.837437
GHS 16.729561
GIP 0.837437
GMD 77.162869
GNF 9340.347857
GTQ 8.316077
GYD 226.274884
HKD 8.391906
HNL 27.74569
HRK 7.533143
HTG 141.304316
HUF 401.532583
IDR 17902.495616
ILS 3.967058
IMP 0.837437
INR 92.481263
IQD 1413.732632
IRR 45447.197961
ISK 142.711174
JEP 0.837437
JMD 169.291209
JOD 0.765168
JPY 163.087011
KES 139.757041
KGS 93.3487
KHR 4332.928374
KMF 492.647321
KPW 971.284176
KRW 1581.238356
KWD 0.332767
KYD 0.8988
KZT 539.21015
LAK 23376.230613
LBP 96694.995581
LKR 319.554531
LRD 215.351455
LSL 19.673796
LTL 3.186553
LVL 0.652788
LYD 5.207029
MAD 10.38122
MDL 19.495836
MGA 5034.399473
MKD 61.497972
MMK 2265.838397
MNT 3757.014446
MOP 8.639641
MRU 42.967767
MUR 49.416076
MVR 16.630152
MWK 1873.465344
MXN 21.942372
MYR 4.782402
MZN 68.971209
NAD 19.673802
NGN 1657.618021
NIO 39.660174
NOK 11.321252
NPR 147.93258
NZD 1.879908
OMR 0.415473
PAB 1.07858
PEN 3.933631
PGK 4.352624
PHP 61.884261
PKR 302.496033
PLN 4.183949
PYG 8641.120944
QAR 3.929044
RON 4.977526
RSD 117.304173
RUB 91.142664
RWF 1527.586672
SAR 4.048138
SBD 9.081234
SCR 15.512209
SDG 648.047162
SEK 10.786136
SGD 1.445822
SHP 0.84807
SLE 24.608036
SLL 22629.975538
SOS 616.736096
SRD 39.33684
STD 22336.955088
SVC 9.437952
SYP 14031.42579
SZL 19.695038
THB 36.541065
TJS 11.788991
TMT 3.78794
TND 3.356191
TOP 2.527555
TRY 41.021662
TTD 7.321187
TWD 35.724307
TZS 2881.424781
UAH 44.739249
UGX 3952.597905
USD 1.079185
UYU 45.414959
UZS 13972.752034
VES 74.046734
VND 27600.161878
VUV 133.119049
WST 3.046741
XAF 655.8842
XAG 0.031417
XAU 0.000353
XCD 2.916552
XDR 0.817808
XOF 655.610312
XPF 119.331742
YER 265.425185
ZAR 19.676687
ZMK 9713.962996
ZMW 31.004559
ZWL 347.497199
  • RBGPF

    1.2200

    68.22

    +1.79%

  • RYCEF

    0.0100

    10.25

    +0.1%

  • CMSC

    -0.0400

    22.9

    -0.17%

  • BP

    0.0550

    34.475

    +0.16%

  • NGG

    0.2100

    63.78

    +0.33%

  • GSK

    0.3150

    38.625

    +0.82%

  • AZN

    0.2200

    72.94

    +0.3%

  • BTI

    0.4250

    41.245

    +1.03%

  • RIO

    -0.3200

    62.55

    -0.51%

  • RELX

    0.1350

    50.105

    +0.27%

  • SCS

    0.7150

    11.315

    +6.32%

  • CMSD

    0.0400

    22.7

    +0.18%

  • BCC

    -0.5100

    100.26

    -0.51%

  • VOD

    -0.0050

    9.355

    -0.05%

  • JRI

    -0.0030

    12.957

    -0.02%

  • BCE

    0.5000

    23.15

    +2.16%

Fired US federal worker in need of releasing steam? Try the internet
Fired US federal worker in need of releasing steam? Try the internet / Photo: Anna Moneymaker - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Fired US federal worker in need of releasing steam? Try the internet

A spoon emoji, a subreddit, a viral song: US federal workers are finding sweet succor in the bosom of the internet as President Donald Trump takes an ax to their jobs.

Text size:

Some have lost their entire income, others have been let go only to be rehired, and yet more have been teetering on the brink for weeks.

On the popular internet forum Reddit, where users, often Americans, share and rank advice and questions in communities called subreddits, a "fednews" group is among the most active -- in the top one percent of subreddits with 550,000 users.

With identities hidden behind usernames, employees impart suggestions and grapple with solutions as the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is run by billionaire Trump advisor Elon Musk, whittles away at the federal workforce.

"I have 0900 EST meeting today with a lawyer who specializes in Federal law and government worker rights," one user posted.

"Give me any questions you have and if don't have it already ill try to include in my time. Just paid for one hour."

Another user simply shared a sense of despair when the unthinkable finally happened: "After being anxious for weeks, I was fired today."

- Finding a 'platform' -

Helen -- who like other employees AFP spoke with only wanted to use her first name for fear of retribution -- runs an Instagram account with 16,000 followers called "Feds Work for You," which includes articles, protest information and accounts from fired federal employee.

Trump and Musk "have such big platforms," said Helen, herself a federal worker, wondering "who's going to be standing up for federal workers; we don't have that sort of platform."

John, a 10-year civil servant, launched a podcast on YouTube with an aim to "humanize" federal employees "so people understand that these are regular people who are just doing a public service job."

He said it was important how social media allows civil servants to share their stories while remaining anonymous: "I'm scared, right? Like, you know, they find out who I am."

Federal employees have also rallied online around a series of hashtags, emojis and other slogans.

The song "Hostile Government Takeover," initially posted on TikTok, made it onto platforms like Spotify, including a cover by world-renowned US DJ Moby.

Meanwhile, the spoon emoji has become a symbol of protest, referencing a now-famous email from Musk's team titled "Fork in the Road," in which government employees were given an offer to leave with eight months' pay or risk being fired in the future.

"We need a communications campaign," said Helen, adding: "I think a lot of people don't know what we do, and it's an easy target."

(G.Gruner--BBZ)