In a significant move, the US House of Representatives has banned WhatsApp from all government devices, citing security concerns. The decision follows reports of data security issues and potential cybersecurity risks associated with the platform. Government employees received an official notification instructing them to remove WhatsApp from all devices, including personal ones used for official purposes. The directive was distributed by the Chief Administrative Officer via email.
The Office of Cybersecurity deemed WhatsApp a high-risk application due to inadequate transparency in how it protects user data, the absence of stored data encryption, and the potential for security breaches. As a result, government personnel are now instructed to use alternative, more secure messaging platforms such as Signal, Microsoft Teams, Wickr, iMessage, and FaceTime. Employees are also warned to be cautious of phishing scams and messages from unfamiliar numbers.
Meta Platforms, the owner of WhatsApp, has strongly criticized the ban. A spokesperson for the company, Andy Stone, expressed disapproval of the House’s decision. Meta highlighted the platform’s end-to-end encryption feature, stating that messages are only visible to the sender and recipient.
Meta remains optimistic that the House and Senate will reconsider the ban and allow the continued use of WhatsApp. Earlier this year, a WhatsApp official revealed that the Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions targeted several WhatsApp users, including journalists and civil society members. The House previously banned the TikTok app from staff devices in 2022, also due to security concerns. Moreover, amid recent conflicts, Iran also advised its citizens to delete WhatsApp, suspecting the sharing of sensitive data through the app, which is widely used for personal and professional communication in Iran.