U.S. House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices Over Data Security Risks

The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-managed devices, citing serious data security concerns.

In a memo sent to House staff on Monday, the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer’s Office of Cybersecurity flagged the messaging platform as a “high risk” application. The notice raised alarms over WhatsApp’s lack of transparency in how it protects user data, the absence of stored data encryption, and other potential security vulnerabilities.

“WhatsApp presents a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of House information,” the memo read, advising lawmakers and staff to uninstall the app and switch to more secure alternatives.

Recommended alternatives include Microsoft Teams, Signal, Amazon’s Wickr, and Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime.

Responding to the ban, a WhatsApp spokesperson said, “We strongly disagree with this decision,” claiming the platform offers better security features than many of the alternatives on the approved list.

Earlier this year, WhatsApp revealed that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had targeted some of its users, including journalists and members of civil society.

This move follows a similar ban on TikTok in 2022, which was also deemed a national security risk by the House’s cybersecurity team due to data privacy issues.

The growing list of restricted apps highlights the increasing scrutiny of tech platforms handling sensitive information on government networks.