The U.S. House of Representatives has imposed a ban on the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices, citing significant security concerns.
The primary reasons include a lack of transparency in how the app protects user data and the absence of encryption for stored information, which the House’s Office of Cybersecurity has deemed a high risk to users.
In response, the House has recommended alternative messaging applications, including Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime, as safer options for staff communications.
These platforms are seen as offering stronger security measures or greater transparency, aligning with the government’s heightened focus on data protection.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has strongly contested the ban, with a spokesperson asserting that the app employs end-to-end encryption by default, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can access messages — not even WhatsApp itself. This defense highlights a disagreement between the company and the House over the app’s security standards.
Also read:
- Warner Bros. Hands Its Classics to Bollywood in a Bold New Strategy
- Amazon and Roku Team Up to Amplify Advertising Reach
- People Crave Original Stories, But Franchises Still Rule the Box Office
This decision is part of a broader policy to restrict potentially risky technologies, following previous bans on apps like TikTok, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot. The move reflects an ongoing effort to safeguard sensitive government data amid growing concerns about cybersecurity and the handling of personal information by third-party applications.
