The US House of Representatives has banned the use of WhatsApp on government-issued devices, citing significant data security concerns and potential cybersecurity risks. This decision, communicated to government employees via an official memo from the Chief Administrative Officer, requires the deletion of WhatsApp from all official devices, including smartphones, desktops, and even personal devices used for government business.
The Office of Cybersecurity determined that WhatsApp presents a high risk due to a lack of transparency in its data protection practices, the absence of stored data encryption, and associated security risks. The directive encourages employees to switch to more secure messaging platforms like Signal, Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Apple’s iMessage, and FaceTime. Furthermore, government staff are advised to be vigilant against phishing attempts and messages from unknown numbers.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, has strongly contested the ban. Spokesperson Andy Stone voiced the company’s disagreement, while defending WhatsApp’s default end-to-end encryption, which ensures only the sender and receiver can view the messages.
Meta expresses its hope that the House will reconsider this decision, alongside the Senate, to allow WhatsApp’s continued use. It is worth noting that a WhatsApp official revealed in January that Israeli spyware, developed by Paragon Solutions, targeted numerous users on WhatsApp, including journalists and civil society members. This follows the previous ban on TikTok from staff devices in 2022 due to similar security concerns. Further emphasizing the sensitivity around the platform, Iran advised its citizens to delete WhatsApp earlier this month during conflicts with Israel, fearing data breaches through the popular messaging app.