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The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-managed devices, citing serious cybersecurity risks. The directive was communicated to congressional staff via an internal memo from the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, specifically its Office of Cybersecurity.
The memo labeled WhatsApp a “high-risk” application, citing multiple concerns including lack of transparency around data protection, absence of encryption for stored data, and other vulnerabilities that could compromise sensitive information. According to Reuters, the cybersecurity office warned that continued use of WhatsApp could expose confidential data to unauthorized access.
Under the new directive, lawmakers and staff are required to immediately uninstall WhatsApp and transition to more secure communication platforms. Approved alternatives include Microsoft Teams, Amazon Wickr, Signal, Apple iMessage, and FaceTime.
In response, a WhatsApp spokesperson said, “We disagree with this decision in the strongest possible terms,” asserting that the platform provides industry-leading end-to-end encryption and outperforms many of the alternatives endorsed by the House.
This move follows a January revelation that users on WhatsApp—including journalists and civil society actors—had been targeted by spyware developed by Israeli firm Paragon Solutions.
The ban also echoes a 2022 decision to prohibit TikTok on congressional devices, citing similar national security and data privacy concerns. At that time, TikTok was likewise classified as “high risk” by House cybersecurity officials.
The WhatsApp ban underscores growing efforts within the U.S. government to secure its digital communications and minimize potential threats from widely used commercial platforms.
